Stone kept saying he wants to see what this group can do like if they haven't been showing him for last year and this year. There's not much too learn anymore and yet he didn't bring any help. The playoffs will be more of the same and he will learn nothing that he hasn't already had the chance too.
IMO Stone and the FO made it as clear as day that pushing to go beyond just making the postseason this year is not the priority. Every team in and around the play in race spent assets to get better at the trade deadline except us. On purpose. We didn't try. We leaked that we were taking salary dumps for future assets, and that's what we did. Lots of folks on here and in real life have a philosophy to try to win as much and get as far as possible in the playoffs every year. That's not the HOU organization's philosophy. They want to take it in incremental steps, blood and showcase the youngsters, and manage year-by-year expectations. I think it's fair to disagree. But also probably worthwhile to consider why this is their approach. The FO may make mistakes, but they are not dumb. There is a thought process.
The Rockets over the last 4 years have had the second pick, the third pick twice, the fourth pick - and other first rounders. They also traded away a top tier talent for a load of draft picks. Most teams would be in a good spot with that type of talent infusion. Im not saying Stone should lose his job- but there hasn’t been anything magical about the Rockets current situation.
I think this is well put and thank you for recognizing that not all agree to this approach. I don't agree to the approach myself but I guess it is what it is. I'll just wait til the next season and see where we are by then but will probably stop hoping this season given the way things are going. On a side note: I hope the Suns drop further especially that the Mavs are without Kyrie and AD
Winning this season (beyond just making the postseason) is obviously not their priority. They've made that clear. Contending for a title during a prime age + cost control window, roughly 2027-2030, seems to have always been their priority.
Rockets are not guaranteed to win beyond THIS season. Control what we can control. Injuries are real + happen at the worst times.
My criticism isn't their "thought process," I'm okay with sound plan that is effectuated. My issue is it shouldn't take this long to make determinations. We ALL see what these players are and are not in Ime's system excluding maybe Reed. But for the rest of them, you can expect only improvements from their current capabilities NOT new capabilities. With that in mind, it's time now to pick your 2 or 3 horses and start squad building around them with proven, winning, players. Go look at the Warriors dynasty and how they were constructed. It was their 3 best drafted players and solid vets that they didn't draft. Rinse and repeat vets year after year.
Fair enough, so what would you do this summer as a GM? Who is the franchise player that you feel confident you’d be able to bring it?
Oh I agree there is nothing magical, but we've seen GMs completely bungle drafts and trades and the cap. He just hasn't done that yet, so that's why I'm still for him because I know it can be worse. The average GM is taken for granted and when people look at teams like the Suns, the Clippers, the Mavs, maybe the average GM should be a little more appreciated. And honestly, had we been able to draft Paolo, Wemby, or Cade, maybe we are talking about him a little better. I feel like he did well with his picks and hasn't made any dumb moves as of yet and that is honestly half the battle.
Stone is either incapable of determining which players to keep + build around or he's too emotionally attached to the wrong players + using the mantra of lets wait and see to prolong the inevitable.
Historically, young teams develop over seasons and take incremental steps to get better. Another knee-jerk reaction as we're exceeding goals. There hasn't been a team in 50 years that went from no playoffs to winning a championship; you can check contender status as well historically. The second seed warped expectations, and people think this is like those Harden veteran teams, it's not; it's 22-year-olds who will have growing pains every season. I need folks to check the average NBA rebuild over years to become a contender or win a ring. Stone has done a great job assembling this team to put us in the position we are now long term. Let these guys continue to grow.
The cavs in 2014 went 33-49 and were in the nba finals the following season, so it can be done! (while this is true, obviously it's a joke as it's not a path that can be followed)
Green is in year 4 and still can’t shoot and has not put on substantial weight, that is unacceptable.
exactly. we haven't even made the play-ins yet since harden left and suddenly people want to mortgage future assets for win-now moves? let the young players grow and experience the ups and downs. hell, we can just stand pat for the next two seasons and still have improvement just because of how young our team is. it's not like all of our players on rookie contracts will suddenly plateau and stop improving. and who is to say we don't have top-end talent? give it another 2-3 years before saying blanket statements like that when most of our players can only now start drinking legally. people need more patience. i'd still be happy just with a playoff appearance - this team ain't winning **** this year anyways. honestly i have more interest in phx games and hoping they lose rather than the rockets winning right now.
I mean stone has made the right picks where he had the pick outside of Jabari who is meh(but to be fair, like us, I am sure he was going to get paolo) and Jalen green(while ascending, he’s still got a ways to go to catch Mobley, Barnes, wagner and cade in his draft class imo)
The man had the 2nd best team in the west for a whole minute until injuries I don’t count the first 3 years against the man. He was told from above to tank and tank hard I see changes coming this offseason and we’ll see the roster he builds
There is only one Presti just cuz you fire Stone doesnt mean you get Presti. Presti also wont come here if the owner is a delulu and sets targets then fires his GM for not exceeding that target enough.
LOL are you a billionaire or are you an average joe? You despise mediocrity from everybody but you dont apply that same standard to yourself. Yeah I think most people in the world would be happy meeting their goals. Thats kinda the point of setting goals to begin with. If you think meeting goals is "mediocre" but you arent some super successful giga chad billionaire then something is wrong with you.
5th seed for now. Considering how bad we play recently, while the Warriors improved, what makes you think we’re going to hold this spot and not dropping lower? We are looking really bad, and it’s FO fault for not doing any move along the season to get us a decent shooter, which we’re desperately need. The 2nd place was a mirage, as we played hard defence, on a level that you can’t really keep up for 82 games. Kind of reminds me the 2003/04 season, where we ended up 7th. I guess it’s where we’re going to end up also this season, and we’ll lose both play-in games and not reach playoffs (maybe it is for the best, considering we can’t even beat the Nets).
