In Friday’s press conference, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone shared his perspective on Houston’s trade deadline moves — headlined by a deal sending Eric Gordon to the Los Angeles Clippers — and insight on what comes next for the 2022-23 roster and beyond.
Will newly acquired veterans like Danny Green, Justin Holiday, and Frank Kaminsky be sticking around? Stone made it clear Friday that Houston is at least open to the idea, though additional conversations will be had with each of those players to determine the right fit.
None of the players acquired by the Rockets has a salary beyond the 2022-23 season, so Houston’s plan to create significant salary cap space in the 2023 offseason remains very much intact.
The rebuilding Rockets also bolstered their stockpile of future draft assets through Thursday’s deadline dealings, both with a 2023 first-round pick swap obtained in the Gordon trade and a pair of future second-round picks (Oklahoma City’s in 2024, 2025) acquired in the deal sending Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando to Atlanta.
From a GM’s perspective, here’s insight from Stone on how and why those deals went down at the deadline, along with his plan moving forward as Houston attempts to climb back to NBA relevancy.