Discredit because I have a different opinion? Keep attacking the messenger and not the message. I don't view the Rockets as making a "heavy investment" into KPJ when it amounted to getting a team friendly contract and getting benched when we pivoted to competing. That's where the disconnect is. I don't think it was a coincidence that KPJ was so heavily featured when the 1) the rockets were trying to tank 2) his contract was coming up the soonest and thus a decision needed to be made. From my perspective, the Rockets pivoted from tanking under Silas to competing under Udoka and the old ways were done. KPJ went ahead and was himself and now he isn't a Rocket and won't be a distraction.
These days, the media and public perception is what gets people fired. Whether Stone remains will be determined by who is deemed at fault.
Investment doesn't just have to be money. It can also be the time wasted and the commitment to him after numerous professional issues.
The thing that pisses me off most is the opportunity cost of prioritizing him. The player who suffered most from that is Sengun, but also others. KPJ was a selfish d******d, and he got given the green light.
A commitment that ultimately led where...... 3 seasons of being in the best possible chance for a #1 pick? A contract that is team friendly, except in the instance where KPJ f*cks up after we guaranteed it for the season? Benching by the next coaching regime and having your role targeted by FAs? I think it's an error in thinking that the Rockets were looking to maximize the development of their young guys and not looking to maximize their chances of #1 picks. The Rockets were more invested in tanking than KPJ.... who was just symptom of it.
You are unfortunately correct to some extent. On the other hand, they did apparently want to develop SOMEONE... KPJ.
There's an off chance that they wanted to try and put lipstick on that pig so they could trade him down the line for an actual serviceable player. If that was the case all along then I guess Stone is fine in Tilman's eyes. I follow Arsenal in the EPL and right now they're playing a striker who is clearly worse than others but the overarching feeling is that they're showcasing him so they can sell him down the road while still getting results. Chance that Stone was thinking the same thing with KPj but couldn't stick the landing as KPj exploded before it came time to make a trade. This is the story I would be trying to sell internally if I was Stone. If this wasn't the case and he put staffers and other players in harms way by having them around a deranged lunatic then he should be fired immediately. I wonder if Tilman is doing an internal investigation himself into Stone and why/how he allowed KPj to run amok at the facilities and around employees. There is also the threat of litigation if there are other parties that were harmed by KPj at Toyota Center.
I'm not sure having a 20-win team is successfully rebuilding a team. If it is, I'm going to have to re-evaluate my definition of "success".
A job interview goes this way: "Why do you think you are qualified to be general manage for us?" "In the first two years as a GM, my team was the worst team in the league by a fairly wide margin, When I got to my third year, we were the third worst. Just to clarify, that third year was when everybody tried to get their hands on Wemby. I managed to get the third most ping pong balls amidst fierce competition."
Why can't we do a double GM, Stone still reviews contracts and his partner does trades and handles day to day player needs/fines/suspensions and waivings. Until we can sort out the new GM.
Owner = "Hi Rafael how ya doin -- tell us what you've done with Houston and how that experience will help you now as you're looking for a similar role with our franchise" Rafael = "Sure - DOING GREAT! Thanks for asking. So as GM of the Houston Rockets I was able to help run the 23rd most profitable sports franchise on the planet! Tilman Fertitta bought the team when it was contending for championships and shortly after we had to switch gears into a rebuilding team as we traded stars and veterans and started over from scratch as one of the youngest teams in the NBA. I think we were able to identify several impact players that will generate excitement not only for Houston, but for the league in general during our growing pains. While navigating a situation with virtually no cap room and with the intent of executing the most pragmatic method to regain our reputation as a premiere destination for star basketball players and championship expectations we didnt prioritize winning so to speak. Tanking sounds awful I know, but sometimes that is the quickest way back to relevance while working within the confines of the CBA and popular opinion. While we made some mistakes along the way I believe the Rockets are positioned to be one of the best teams in the NBA in the near future. I was able to help Tilman realize an annualized change of 8% year over year to his team value in our short time together and as the team regains a foothold on success the franchise will only continue to reap the rewards of what we were able to accomplish as an owner - GM relationship. I feel strongly I can bring the same sort of vision here with your team in helping you reach the next level of profitability and team success." Owner = "say no more I love you"
Stone and contacts are not a good combination, his max offer to Victor Oladipo was criminal. Think goodness he turned it down.
QUIT PICKING ON STONE! He’s a wonderful gm. Who else has picked 5 first rounders only to give them all away for basically free….humble is a man that can do that. He found a great prospect in mid second round called KMJ. He picked Green over that suckwad Mobley who refused to come here because of his fascination with thug KPJ. He gave away suckwad Jarred Allen so we could get superstar Vic Oladipo. I could go on and on considering we haven’t discussed Silas, Nix, etc. but my point has been made.
All the evidence points to them picking tanking over developing players during this window in which we kept our picks.... And Jalen Green who was neck and neck with KPJ in terms of minutes and usage...... but lets just completely disregard Jalen Green because it doesn't fit the narrative of the Sengun- OF and the anti Stoners. Sengun was third in usage last season among those who played more than 1000 minutes, lets not be melodramatic and say the Rockets completely locked Sengun away.
