Rafael Stone: “Is this just not our year?”

I know a lot of people are mad at Ime, but I would change the GM before the coach. It's time for new leadership in the front office. The architect of the phase 1 tank - Rafael Stone - has failed to put together a worthy roster after several years of tanking. This guy has made too many bad bets since Harden issued his trade demand (e.g., the KPJ and Jalen Green backcourt). We need someone with fresh eyes and not attached to any players on the current roster to make the tough decisions on what needs to be done next. No one should be off the table when it comes to trade talks...NO ONE.

Let's walk down memory lane to see who Stone drafted since the Harden trade.

Jalen Green
Alperen Sengun
Usman Garuba
Josh Christopher
Jabari Smith
Tari Eason
TyTy Washington
Amen Thompson
Cam Whitmore
Reed Sheppard

This dude has wasted a tremendous amount of draft capital over the years.

 

This is the man that signed FVV not once, but twice.

This is a man that had 4 straight top 4 picks and hasn't drafted a franchise player yet.

His seat should be scalding hot entering into next season.

 

Brother his seat is on fire right now. This team is garbage

 

Lazy deadline.
Lazier argumentation.
Hornets, NOLA, Boston losses are giftwrapped for him.

 

Preach

 

Yep, it was a big time loss. Sengun played better with Adams because all of the bigs attention couldn’t just be on Sengun. They had to worry about Steven which allowed Sengun to work. Then losing all those offensive rebounds and the great picks to free up shooters, it adds up. He also was playing well defending the paint which Jabari and Sengun both aren’t good at. So yes, losing Fred AND Steven is a big time loss that the Rockets probably can’t overcome.

 

Seeing so much in KPJ and in Jalen Green should have been a Massive Red Flag.....great scoring, such bad fundamentals and lack of maturity.

• Great Contract guy, just not great Overall GM, specialist sure, not overall good talent evaluator.
• I am just sad for the so called Stone fans....that keep on singing his gospels.....

 

For sure, Fred was struggling with his production starting last season......you had to start thinking getting rid of him, not signing him to extensions.

 

We have had a leadership problem since day 1 of Fertita's tenure.

 

dude, it’s been the lie of all-time that Stone has drafted well. It’s been average at best. And he doesn’t seem to understand that we aren’t good enough to sit out back to back good drafts. Not having a 2026 pick for where we are is malpractice.

 

Stone has demonstrated enormous mediocrity. It's time he was fired. He can't overcome his fear of making mistakes. His time is up.

 

we're basically a tilman restaurant at this point. I'm sure everyone can feel the rubbery tire texture of this over seasoned steak at a morton's or w.e garbage. This is us

 

Sucks to say this, but in hindsight, we would have been much better just sticking with Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and drafting Cedric Coward with the 10th pick over KD. Team chemistry is now ****, and as much as Jalen had his warts, he still was a perimeter-based creator (albeit limited) that we currently do not have on the roster. And I wanted Jalen gone so badly.

KD really is like that super hot girlfriend that despite getting passed around, even at an advanced age, you still feel like a 10 the first few months you're with the person. And then the longer the relationship goes on, that honey glaze starts tasting a lot less sweet and everything feels high maintenance and like walking on broken glass. Looks like a lot of us are eating crow now, and especially the Rockets FO.

 

KD is like last on the list of issues with the team right now.

 

So according to you, relying on Old Aquaman who had a massive knee or leg surgery 2 years ago, now a massive surgery on the high ankle again...is normal.

Further relying on a 37 year old Durant on Offense is normal?

Relying on a short 6'1 FVV who can't finish around the basket, who is on physical decline, is normal?

 

That's what it seems like if you look at surface level stats. But just look at the body language of the young guys - it's like they are constantly on their toes. While I thought they would be ready to just go through the fire, it seems like they still need an actual leader on the court - and the whole NBA knows KD is the last person you go to for leadership. If we had FVV on the court or if we still had DB, maybe this would all be a completely different story and the KD experiment would be a huge success. But the team chemistry, and more frankly, the leadership vacuum, is something that is really hurting this team. Either Ime adjusts his style to fill that void or he can just stick to being a stubborn-ass coach and continue seeing **** results.

 

Our body language is so atrocious.. Guys just holding their hands in the air after a no call, pointing at other guys and shaking their heads in feigned disbelief when mistakes are made, not running back, standing in disappointment when the extra swing pass isn't made.. Ugh. This is something that the coaching staff has a lot of control over and it's just pervasive. ****ing unwatchable to see grown men acting like this.

I don't care as much about our abysmal offense. Control what you can...

 

Do you really hate yourself that much?

 

What a weak ass ponk

 

From KD's standpoint, joining Denver, OKC should have been his goal, go somewhere where he does not have to do the heavy lifting.

Cruise to Contention, enjoy Pre-retirement.....make some friends.