Rockets general manager Rafael Stone is being coy with how he’ll approach the No. 2 overall pick in the draft and even hinted he’d be open to trading it, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. However, Stone does seem excited about adding a cornerstone to his roster. “The goal is to find a star player,” he said. “When you bring in young players especially, you’re really looking for star potential. I wouldn’t use the word ‘expect.’ I don’t want to put that pressure on a player. I do think we’re likely to get somebody really, really talented if we pick the pick.”
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Unless the Pistons do something surprising, Cade Cunningham will be off the board when the Rockets make their first of three first-round picks. Jalen Green, Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs are the top candidates to be the No. 2 pick and Evan Young of the Houston Chronicle breaks down those players.
- Stan Van Gundy was one-and-done as the Pelicans‘ head coach, while Tom Thibodeau was named Coach of the Year in his first season with the Knicks. The fact that the Knicks’ top players bought in to Thibodeau’s style and schemes while the Pelicans’ young core didn’t do the same with their veteran coach led to Van Gundy’s demise, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune writes. The Knicks also had more experienced players on their roster than the Pelicans, another reason why Van Gundy failed and Thibodeau thrived.
- Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu and Oregon wing Chris Duarte are among the players the Grizzlies could target with the No. 17 overall pick, Evan Barnes of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. Barnes takes a look at five players who might be a fit with the current roster.
Thibs is a winner SVG had one good year!
Can you remind me what Thibs has won?
Thibs has always been a useless coach, never taken any team far & made a huge mess in MIN when he had the best player he has ever coached in KAT!
SVG is just as useless as him, but… at least he got to the finals once, so choosing which one is less bad, the winner is… SVG if you ask me!
That article on the KNICKS and PELICANS parallels was spot on. Thibs thrived with veteran crew, SVG had a rough time with young ones (I can’t believe the number of blown coverages the PELS had in many down-the-wire games).
Easily, young players nowadays are far more difficult to connect with, for the older, seasoned coaches. Shaq said as much also, when SVG was canned.
This high-scoring age is god-send for young players. The idea of slowing things down with defense, should be down the totem pole for them.
It’s likely Griffin will go for an ex-player, someone who Zion, BI, Lonzo can relate with better.
So they want a player’s coach, possibly someone dumber.
So that will be tried, and ZW & BI will still be mismatched. Pretty much a random star pairing… no reason to believe in it in the first place. The GM did not specifically go after either.
If Rockets select a point guard at 2, John Wallet will be upgraded to Assistant Coach or downgraded to bench?
John is not efficient
FG 40%
3pt 32%
What PG will the Rockets take at #2? Both Jalen’s are either SG’s or combo guards. So that leaves just Cade and he has the size to be a point forward.
Cade (#1) for Wiseman+#7+#14 and I will get light years tatted on me. Detroit loves Wiseman and wanted to twin towers him with Plumlee.
Wrong.
@marty; why would DET trade the #1 pick who’s a potential generational point forward talent in a draft which is top heavy for star players for a project big man who just had surgery and 2 other FRP’s outside of where the top talent lies?
Wait until the Pelican players buy in to the coaching of Al Van Bundy !!!
No Ma’am
I am not a Rockets hater but Stone is venturing into SVG territory with some of these quotes.
“We’re looking for a star…but we don’t want to put too much pressure on them…but the 2nd pick will likely be someone good.”
This guy is a GM?