Rafael Stone Press Conference after Reed Sheppard pick

I’m glad you are coming around. Try a little patience this season. Reed will get his shot, but probably not until mid-season. Agree 100% on Brooks. I hope they don’t hold on to him like they did Gordon trying to squeeze every thing they can out of someone. He can help a competing team. Give him away for a second rounder or two and an expiring.

 

Time will tell.

 

Banchero is largely trash like Antawn Jamison and Shareef Abdur-Rahim... stat fillers who don't contribute to winning.

Banchero has better court vision than Jabari. That's about it. He's a scorer who can't shoot 3s. Jabari has a higher efg and ts%. Granted Banchero has far more usage. I don't see Ime preferring Banchero to Jabari ultimately...

 

STONE: "For us, it's not just about quantity, it's very much about quality"

Spoiler: MANDATORY!!!

Go Rockets!!!
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They’re all squirrels trying to get a nut, I get it. But at what point does calling out their bs trumps access.

 

Agreed. Banchero is a media darling. He is empty stats and will never be much more than he is now. Jabari will continue to improve.

 

Among players on the Magic who started 25 games, Banchero is 7th out of 7 in efg% but #1 at taking shot attempts. Franz Wagner is their best player and neither can shoot.

Orlando had a strength of schedule 29th out of 30.

The Rockets were tied for 9th with Minnesota and OKC.

That's largely how they had a better record.

 

It is important to be diplomatic about this. It's ok to say Sheppard was at the top of our list, but nothing more than that.

 

Lol sure man ok.

Remember that when Jabari gets benched for Amen or Eason next year.

 

I will say Paolo has been better than I expected and he's a fine player that mostly just needs to stop shooting mid range jumpers. If he can't get better, he's going to be tough to build around at that usage and meh efficiency. He's been better than Jabari. I'd hoped Jabari would be better defensively by now and that he would shoot a little bit better. Here's to hoping Jabari gets his shooting into the 40% range and his defense pops.

 

It really is amazing to watch, lol. RELAX haters!

 

Brah you can't compare their scoring efficiency. One does it standing at the three point line waiting for a more talented player to create a open look for him and the other is scoring their own buckets

 

Odd timing talking trash about Banchero after he killed in the playoffs but I like the enthusiasm.

 

Amen and Tari have been better than Jabari. I'd also they've also been better than Paolo. Paulo could still improve, and I expect he will be better than Tari. Amen....I'd say he had the best rookie season out of the Core 6 young guys though he was older than most of them in their rookie years. If he improves as much as Sengun did last year, the Rockets will be in a good place.

 

Mug shot.

 

If Ben Simmons is an acceptable model to you, then I think stylistically we differ too much to agree on this. I would see it as a total disaster if we drafted a Ben Simmons at #4 in this era.

 

The funniest part about this line of thinking is that it typically comes from the "Stone is bad at his job" crowd. So Stone is bad at his job, but the Magic thought he was so good at his job that they completely disregarded all of their own intel to get the guy Stone wants. It's similar to the people who think Biden rigged the election and judicial system against Trump, but simultaneously believe he is a buffoon with dementia. It can be one or it can be the other, but it can't be both. And before that analogy devolves into D&D territory, I am not speaking to whether Biden is or isn't capable or incapable or is or isn't an evil mastermind. I don't care. I'm just saying it can't be both.

 

Sure, rookie of the year/all star Paolo Banchero who just took his team to the playoffs has been eclipsed by Tari Eason (who averaged 9 points in 22 games total ) and Amen Thompson's March in the dunker spot

 

I know right. He's an idiot for leaking it but the Magic FO believe he is Jerry West reincarnated? Doesn't make sense.

Such a silly thought. Orlando had the #1 pick. Imagine if they go not with their analysis or their instinct or even the owner's misguided opinion. They decided "let's just copy Rafael Stone, that will be a good idea." lol

 

Yup, we're on the same page. Amen is the kind of talent where it's worth trying even if there's a good chance of failure. I know he can have a career in the NBA without a 3PT shot. But to be a superstar, he can't be totally ignored at the 3PT line.

I'm pretty confident in that dude. He's a hard working basketball geek and Udoka/Sullivan will have him on the right track. You don't overhaul a player's shot mid season, so it was not possible last season. I think this summer they will be tearing it down and rebuilding it - and I think it will result in some ugly shooting performances at first, but we will be on our way to our goal.