(The Athletic) Rafael Stone: 'this is not a job anyone can do perfectly'

I can name about 10 guys here who really think they could be an NBA GM!!

 

Dude is so self critical oh wait....

 

It's very easy to be a perfect GM if you:

-Don't actually have to be the GM
-Use hindsight
-Throw out no alternatives, but only criticize the current reality

 

Super Aggressive in a garbage free agency year.

Prepare for a 4 year /120 deal for Harrison Barnes.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/free-agents/

 

Truly great to be a fan than a GM.

He gets paid tho.

 

It's a really tough job for sure. I think about those mock drafts people do on reddit and stuff and the person who plays GM for their team reports back and everyone's like "you're a dumb ass!"

That's just drafting too. That's not free agency, contract structuring, hiring coaches, etc. I think it would be a cool job, but you'd have to avoid fan opinions like the plague.

 

yeah, no doubt the Westbrook trade still hurts. And I think we neglected the draft under Morey which probably caught up to us. But I don’t like how Stone basically try’s to escape accountability. It’s not entirely accurate that we are where we are because of Morey…which is what he’s basically saying with that comment daywalker posted. Lol

 

In terms of pure transactions, I don't think anyone can truly complain about Stone much at all. Made the right choice in the Harden trade. Good contracts for Tate and KPJ. Trades have been creative to get more draft equity. Draft picks have been well regarded at the time of the drafts (only possible complaint is Green over Mobley, and that's not egregious at all and Sengun + Eason makes up for it).

In terms of everything else a GM does, Stone has been poor. Coaching staff hiring/firing, young player development, bringing in vets strategically, curating a non-toxic culture around the team and organization, selling the tank in the media and the fanbase.

Stone is what he is, a great assistant GM / transaction guy. Doesn't know how to do the other stuff that the leader of your organization is responsible for.

 

We need a complete culture overhaul. We're accustomed to losing now and it's poisonous. Start with Silas and KPJ. If Harden comes back, maybe MDA will too. Kelvin Sampson would be amazing here but he's worked too hard to build a culture @ UH

 

It actually is difficult to have the worst record in consecutive seasons, even the Sixers couldn't accomplish that feat in 2014-15 & 2015-16. And that was with Embiid missing those two entire seasons.

A perfectly executed master of disaster class by Raf-L so far

 

Ya know what you CAN do to perfection - build a positive culture.
All it takes is doing the right thing...
Setting standards, holding guys accountable, setting team goals over individual accolades....
It can provide a great foundation for future prosperity...
i wish we'd try it...


lol

 

I'm actually worried about him saying "we're gonna be super aggressive", considering the weak free agent class. This sounds like we are in danger of him overspending on players who do not have franchise-altering potential. The Oladipos of the world. That's the WORST thing one can do.

 

Thank you. I appreciate that. Put me down as one of your 10 . I wouldn't sign harden(he's washed) I wouldn't trade any of the picks this yr or after regardless if they are ours or nets. I wouldn't bring in vets to "win" because in reality even with harden or vets we still won't be contenders until those vets are retired . Basically I'd do everything the opposite of stone. I'd also hire and promote Mahmoud as our coach but I bet stone picks a has-been as our next coach. Hard to be a fan when you know your gm is lost on so many categories regarding his job.

Rant over lol

 

Exactly. Your are dead on and that is a big worry and that is what stone will do and that is why I said in the previous post above yours that I should be the next rockets gm. Not patrick or stone .I'm serious.

 

we already know your work. GM? LOL suddenly you question everything.

https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/rockets-only-5-5-gms-back-from-play-in.317882/