With the Rockets decision to not pick up the option on Stephen Silas, I have asked around about what the Rockets plans are going forward. A lot of what I have heard is consistent with what the Rockets front office has leaked through the 4-5 reporters that they use to get their agenda public. First, the Rockets have known for some time that Stephen Silas would not have his option year picked up. There have been a couple of times that the organization was close to relieving him of his duties, but ultimately decided there would be no reason to do so, as they intended to hire a head coach from outside the organization and any interim coach would not be back. As for Stephen Silas, he was the head coach and certainly deserves some of the blame but he isn't alone. Silas failed to stand up to the front office when it came to decisions on who to play and how to play. Silas was a new coach and valued his relationship with the front office too much IMO. He had a hard time establishing boundaries and it has hurt him professionally. Further, Silas also struggled disciplining some of his players and establishing an environment of responsibility. He would defer to Lucas for discipline, and that lead to a lack of respect from his players and assistant coaches. This is also a chance for Stone to learn from his mistakes as a rookie GM. He often over steeped boundaries, was too controlling and did not let his coaching staff do their job. All of those issues contributed to Silas' failure. Hopefully Stone learned from his mistakes. The Rockets have interest in a head coach with experience and ideally a track record of success. The Rockets next hire will have a difficult time and will need to have a strong personality because the Rockets currently have a poor culture. As far as the type of head coach? Jabari Smith, Jalen Green and Tari Eason all have asked for a head coach that is consistent and structured,and has clear rules and will treat everyone the same. That means the Rockets will want a strong coach, probably even one controlling. Most of the names mentioned in the media fit that mold. I personally have questions about whether the Rockets will be able to get someone like Udoka or Nurse. I have heard that the Sixers would have interest in both if they make a change. My gut is that someone like Frank Vogel is more likely. As for the draft, the reporting out of the Athletic is consistent with what I have heard. Like everyone else on the planet, the Rockets would keep the #1 pick and draft VW. However, I also have heard the Rockets would likely keep the #2 and #3 pick in this draft. Outside of that, the Rockets would explore trades for young players at the end of their contracts that would be glue type players. You can speculate on who these players would be. The Rockets would like to trade the Clippers pick for an existing player or a future pick as well. Having said that, the Rockets can want to do all of these things, but I am not sure that they will be able to get the player in trade they want and may end up using their draft picks. This is viewed as a very top heavy but shallow draft. As for Kevin Porter Jr., he is expected to be back in 2024. The Rockets sat him out his last game, and that would not have happened had the Rockets and Porter not been on good terms because it impacted Porter's bonus money. The Rockets intend to pursue and they hope sign 1-2 prominent players. That would include just about anyone that is a big name player in free agency. James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Fred Van Fleet and others. The problem is that teams like Portland, LA, NYK, Miami, DAL, LAL, OKC, and SAC all are expected to be VERY involved in efforts to bring back big name players in trade or free agency. Not all of these teams have the cap space that the Rockets do, but they can create it. As far as trades are concerned, the Rockets and several other teams are waiting to see what Toronto does this off season. There are several players the Rockets (among others) like. Stone should survive this off season, but is on the warm seat if not the hot seat. He doesn't execute his plan and have success next year, he is likely out of a job. Random rumblings: The Rockets have asked about Jalen Suggs in a possible trade with Orlando. The Rockets have interest in Siakam and Anunoby on the Raptors. The Rockets would likely include their own lottery pick if it is outside the top 2-3 if Siakam enters the market. However a number of other teams would also have interest. Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson are both players the Rockets covet. However, the cost of Bridges would be extremely high because of his contract and production after becoming featured in Brooklyn. The Rockets and a handful of other teams including the Jazz have reached out on the availability of LaMelo Ball. Overall: I don't believe the Rockets are going to be able to execute a lot of what they intend to do. Still, I expect the Rockets to make moves to improve in free agency and coaching wise. I expect the Rockets to win 35 games next year and possibly more if they surprise in the lottery or getting James Harden. The reality is that a lot of the Rockets rebuild hinges on if they get a top 2-3 pick or not. Even if they get the #3 pick in this draft, they may be able to cobble together that pick and more assets to get someone like LaMelo Ball who would fit the Rockets well.
Great stuff. Thank you! Ball is certainly an intriguing option. Also, if Bridges is too expensive, I’d love Cam Johnson.
I don't think Kevin's games played this year has any effect on his salary, only cap due to the incentive structure for the offseason.
Thank you @Nook - very insightful. I hope you are wrong about KPJ, and I hope @Clutch is wrong about Alpi .
I like it all except Kyrie Irving lol I agree with you that Udoka and nurse will have other suitors. Vogel and Atkinson as well. the rockets need to move quickly before the market opens up. the hawks did a great job with that and Snyder. these top guys will want to go to winning teams with owners willing to pay top dollar and GMs who leave them alone. that's not what we've got here. they better either move quickly or have a strong list of plan B targets. I disagree with trading the pick unless we fall to like 6 or 7. the draft is shallow, but there are guys after the top 3 that are equivalent long term prospects to trading for anunoby for example. I think that would be really short sighted. we tanked for 3 years we could make 3 picks. keep the core players on the same timeline as jalen. all hit their primes together on affordable deals.
There are sooooo many desperate to get good fast teams this Summer that I really think it's very likely that the 23/24 Rockets on the court look more similar than some would like to the 22/23 Rockets. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. What really is a necessity though is to bring in: A. A respected, and tough veteran coach B. A decent PG who if doesn't start over KPJ, still plays HEAVY minutes It would be great if that starting PG was VanFleet, or a bought-in-with-the-rebuild Harden.... but I wouldn't think the Rockets will be the top team that max guys will really be lining up to go to unless Harden decides to come here for personal reasons. I know that people here think there is pressure here to be good fast, but I think that pressure could be misplaced due to both Stone feeling pressure to prove himself, and because OKC owns the 2024 pick. No, the Rockets shouldn't tank, but I do think that their young talent (Jalen, Jabari, Sengun, Tari, and the 23 draft picks) aren't ready to compete yet at a playoff contention level. If we are worried more about the Rockets being a championship team more than we are about Stone's credibility then we'd be looking at the 2023 free agency listings, and say to ourselves.... Let's hope they are aggressive, but let's all be okay with keeping this young core together and developing them another year or two WITH A BETTER COACH, and just forget about Stone's career or our 2024 pick going to OKC. If we are bad and OKC gets a good lotto pick... whatever.... Its done.
A top draft pick/Harden is the best case scenario offseason/with moves to complement these two. Any other scenario will likely be settling or forced into making moves for the illusion that the rockets are on the right path. Overpaying a FA who isn't good enough. Bringing in bottom barrel FA's acting like they make a difference when they don't
I listened to first quarter on radio and they (Wexler or Thomas I guess?) said that KPJ game would not impact his payday but only could have salary cap implications? I thought that’s what I heard.
KPJ sitting out the final game didn't effect his money at all, it was just a favor to the FO because it gives them more cap space to work with since now some of his incentives are deemed "unlikely" rather than "likely". You're still right though, he doesn't do that if he's on bad terms with the FO.
Sitting doesn’t impact his bonus. It’s a bonus for next year. It merely means the bonus doesn’t count against our cap, by defining the bonus as “unlikely” v “likely”.
Thanks for the post. The next hire is one of the most important moves this franchise will be making, it can shift a lot of the players another way if this doesn't work out & rebuild part 2 starts again.
Understood, I was told that it impacts the Rockets spending this summer and Porter is in a good spot with the front office. I am not as good at the bonus structures etc. as @heypartner or some others on here.
I can't imagine a worse decision that signing Kyrie Irving. I hope that was something floated and it floats on by. Bridges or Johnson would be terrific. Likely a steep price for either one, but could be worth it. God, I hope the plan isn't continuing the KPG as lead point guard experiment. 6th man? You bet, although I'd prefer the guy tossed into a deal. Great post, @Nook. Much food for thought. Whoever they get to be head coach is key, in my opinion.