I'm cursed with a never ending supply of caring for the Rockets. One would think that the Plague would be enough all by itself to make 2020 one of the worst years in history. Nope. It needed help from Tilman Fertitta.
Mavericks assistant head coach Stephen Silas is scheduled to meet again with the Rockets on Friday, according to a person with knowledge of the process. The Rockets have not narrowed their list, despite the follow-up interviews, to a group of finalists, and Stone could opt to interview additional candidates, an individual familiar with the team’s thinking said. Rockets director of player personnel John Lucas is also being strongly considered, according to another person with knowledge of the process so far. Though Morey did not make his decision to step down public until Thursday and has been involved in the interviews with candidates to succeed Mike D’Antoni as Rockets coach, each of the coaches had been informed throughout the process that Morey expected to leave the team at some point this offseason. “We’ve been up front with all the coaching candidates we’ve talked to that there was a change coming,” Morey said. “I have been trying to be just an adviser at this point with Rafael making the final decision and Tilman (Fertitta, the Rockets owner) making the final decision.” Stone has been involved in each of the interviews and will continue to lead the process. Fertitta had said after the Rockets season ended that Morey would be back and would make a recommendation on the new coach. He said on Thursday that Stone will have the same responsibilities he planned for Morey. “Rafael and Daryl have been in every meeting,” Ferttita said. “It will be Rafael’s decision. I’ll bless it. Tad Brown will have a huge decision. It’s the way it’s always been here. There’s never been an anointed one that got to make every decision. It’s always been a collaborative effort with the whole basketball ops. They come in here with a busload. I don’t even know some of their names. “Daryl is here helping us interview coaches, giving good input. He has a place for the Rockets in his heart, and I appreciate his help.”
By most accounts Doc, Lue and JVG have been the guys the rockets have been eyeing... And 2 got signed.
Can you please post article? Im already out of free reads and clearing my cookies doesn’t work anymore. lol
Every report is that Morey wanted to spend time with the fam if he left cause of Tilman the story will leak but yall already assume to know it all.
I'm pretty much already there. The second I heard about the Westbrook trade part of me emotionally checked out because I knew that wasn't a call Morey would make. A lot of writing was on the wall, but it fully confirmed that f**ktard was not only cheap but meddlesome as well. Now with what's left of Harden's prime anchored to Westbrook, what little hope I had left for the Harden era feels dead. The only thing we know long term about the Rockets is that cheap Galveston trash is calling the shots, which is horrifying. IMO it officially makes the Rockets the 3rd best organization in Houston now, after being a proud respected organization for literally my entire life.
Morey is going to spend the year with his daughters and wife. His daughters are sitting out a year of college because of COVID. He also is considering other options. Having said that, Tilman plays a huge part of why Morey walked away. The press release and newspaper can claim this was planned a long time ago but it wasn't. Morey let ownership know recently. The job was no longer remotely enjoyable, he had unusual restraints on his job and had to deal with an impossible owner. So Morey walked away, and left tens of millions on the table........ there is no future return to the Rockets either, he doesn't want to work with Tilman.
Rockets’ new GM Rafael Stone: a passion for basketball and a mind for deals Rafael Stone was on his way. Just eight years out of Stanford Law, he had a reputation as a legal rainmaker, with a thick book of coveted clients. He was just 32 years old when he was made a partner at Dewey Ballantine, a top New York law firm. A week later, he quit. The Rockets offered far less money, but his passion for basketball would not let him pass up this opportunity. Decades after his father chose law over an NBA career, Stone jumped at the chance to become general counsel of the Rockets, eventually moving over to the basketball operations side. On Thursday, the Rockets named him general manager, succeeding Daryl Morey. “I knew he was one of the smartest, most capable young lawyers at Dewey Ballantine,” said former Rockets president George Postolos, who hired Stone. “He was extremely well regarded at the firm. The Rockets were lucky to get him at that time in the role as general counsel. I knew he loved the game. He gave up a great legal career. He gave up a lot to follow his passion.” Stone, 48, had played at Division III Williams College. A skilled passer, ballhandler and defender for that level, he was well aware that he did not have the athletic ability to make a career as a player. The Seattle native moved his family to Houston — Stone and his wife, Felicia, have three children, Gerard, 18; Madison Edwards, 18; and Trace 14 — about a year before Morey was hired by former Rockets owner Leslie Alexander to be the general manager in waiting, succeeding Carroll Dawson in 2007. Morey quickly made Stone part of the Rockets’ decision-making, even in trade calls — unusual for a member of a team’s legal department — along with his role with negotiations and contracts. Though Morey long has been the face of the Rockets’ front office, over the years he has kept his assistants heavily involved not just in decision-making, but in the negotiations themselves. The roles of Sam Hinkie, Gersson Rosas, Monte McNair, Stone and Eli Witus, who on Thursday was promoted to assistant general manager, have been well known throughout the league. Stone, who has been known within the Rockets’ hierarchy for being able to move easily from the most traditional basketball minds to the most cutting edge members of the analytics department, often has been on the forefront of moves for role players such as Ben McLemore or, most recently, David Nwaba. But he also has been involved in some the biggest moves in the NBA. He and Morey spent most of 72 hours locked in a conference room while completing the trade for James Harden. Witus handled much of the negotiations with the Timberwolves on the Robert Covington portion of this season’s three-team trade before the deadline. Stone and Witus put together much of the Rockets’ trade for Chris Paul and the series of trades that day that accompanied it. The strategy itself even came from an effort years earlier to acquire Carmelo Anthony when Anthony was one of the league’s highest-paid players, and an idea Witus came up with to use a clause in the collective bargaining agreement. The Anthony trade never was made, and the idea itself eventually was not part of the trade for Paul. But it demonstrated how much Morey entrusted to others in the front office. That also meant encouraging differing opinions, with Morey and Stone often having vehement debates on anything from basketball moves to movies before reaching a consensus. Stone’s legal background shows in his taste for a good argument and a determination to find benefits to both parties in a negotiation. That could be a family trait. Rafael Stone Sr. chose a career in law negotiating investments after starring as a point guard at the University of Washington, where he played for former Rockets coach and Hall of Famer Tex Winter and against Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Paul Westphal. His son does not have that kind of background as a player, but he made his way to the NBA by taking a leap to the Rockets 15 years ago. “This has got to be a dream come true for him,” Postolos said. “He was living a dream when he took the legal job with the Rockets. This has got to be a great day for him and his family.” https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nb...r-basketball-and-a-mind-for-deals/ar-BB1a4CN8
Stone will absolutely be a detriment to the organization. I don't blame Morey for jumping ship on this organization. Tilman has really done a number on this organization and will now have to face the music going forward for the next 10 years. James and Russ are very unhappy with how the team decided not to work with Dantoni. Morey leaving is just another nail in the coffin for them. Tilman is trying to save face with the players and save some money going with John Lucas at head coach. Stone is going to be GM because Tilman didn't do enough to keep McNair in the building when he knew losing Morey was very likely. This is another money saving tactic. Stone has been involved but has little knowledge about the happenings in league circles. It's time to blow it up and trade our stars and Tilman can't even do that right. Going with Stone will cost them assets when trading Westbrook and Harden. Guaranteed. This is Texans level incompetence just through a penny pinching lense.
Patrick Fertita is the GM in training, Rafael Stone is a place holder and does all the real work anyway.
Rafael will be the fall guy when Lucas is hired, Rockets do bad and we receive a lot of backlash. Perfect for Fertitta who can then fire Rafe and potentially Lucas, install his puppet like his son and we’re doomed. Not buying it that this man has free reign to sign the coach he wants. Harden will get who he wants, plain and simple.
