Unlike the Pistons and the Spurs, who remain the dunce caps of the NBA, the Rockets have finished their reconstruction phase, and management has hit the mark with the arrivals of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks on the court, and 'Ime Udoka on the bench. Houston even moved into 9th place in its conference, ahead of the Suns and the Warriors.
This remains fragile, especially since the level of the conference is incredibly high, but on the side of GM Rafael Stone, we plan to trust this group until the end.
“We appreciate the current squad. We like the way they play and the way they interact with each other” highlights Daryl Morey's successor. “ We think there is a lot of room for improvement just with these players playing better and improving. In no case, at least this year, are we looking to implement a particular exchange or series of exchanges. »
No immediate need
Which doesn't stop Rafael Stone from making phone calls and remaining attentive to the market. But he assures that the initiative will not come from him.
“It’s kind of my job to talk to everyone and listen to what the other teams are trying to do and see if there are things that make sense for both sides.” he continues. “We will make sure to make all the phone calls and take all the necessary steps. For now, we need to have a better idea of our situation before we start thinking about adding this or that player. »
For the GM, the Rockets are in their place, and each meeting brings its share of information.
“Each match gives us essential information. It is too early to predict to what extent we will be active or not at the trade deadline or in the coming days. As it stands, we don't feel the need to do anything. We appreciate the situation of this group and above all we want it to improve internally. »