Tag: Patrick Fertitta

WATCH: Rockets make draft calls to welcome Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore to Houston

Rafael Stone, Ime Udoka, and Patrick Fertitta all reached out to Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore to welcome in Houston’s new draft picks. Here’s what it looked and sounded like. #Rockets

Shortly after Houston’s 2023 draft selections had their names called on stage by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore also heard kind words from Rockets general manager Rafael Stone, head coach Ime Udoka, and Patrick Fertitta.

Patrick Fertitta is the son of owner Tilman Fertitta, effectively serving as a liaison between basketball operations and ownership.

While Thompson and Whitmore were at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center as the physical draft location, Stone, Udoka, and Fertitta were in their draft war room at Houston’s Toyota Center.

Nonetheless, when it came time for the Rockets to make their decisions at No. 4 and No. 20 in the first-round order, that distance didn’t stop Houston’s executives from giving their new players a friendly heads up and a welcome message on behalf of the franchise.

The exchange with Whitmore was particularly notable, since he wasn’t expected to be on the board at No. 20 (he was actually believed to be in contention with Thompson to go No. 4). Stone admitted that Houston didn’t expect Whitmore to be on the board for their second first-round pick, but he said they’re ecstatic he was.

Udoka advised Whitmore to use the apparent draft snubs as motivation before reminding him that his goal was to be in Houston.

Courtesy of behind-the-scenes video from the Rockets, here’s what it looked and sounded like when those picks went down.

Rafael Stone says he’s fully aligned with Rockets ownership on rebuilding plan

Per Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle, #Rockets GM Rafael Stone insists he’s in alignment with the Fertitta family on Houston’s rebuild. “We all bought into this.”

For a third consecutive season, the young Houston Rockets own the NBA’s worst record (13-45). But some of that is by design.

Because of draft obligations owed to Oklahoma City from the ill-fated 2019 trade involving Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, Houston fully controls its own first-round draft assets in 2023 but not again until the late 2020s.

So, the Rockets are going young, with top prospects Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. taking on greater roles than they should early in their NBA careers. If they overachieve, it’s a good problem for a rebuilding team to have.

More realistically, NBA history suggests they will struggle to win at their extremely young ages, and that will maximize the value of Houston’s draft assets in those years.

In a new interview with Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle, Stone cites the draft-pick timeline as a contributing factor. He also says the team plans to use its significant salary cap space in the 2023 offseason to sign veterans, which could potentially help with wins and losses, as well as development for many of those prospects.

Among Stone’s comments:

Our goal has just been to acquire talent and acquire it and see where it would go and give these guys lots of minutes, and try — in some respects artificially — to speed up their progress. That was very much a goal and we thought we had a very tight window because, again, we have these outstanding picks that we had traded and they come due starting in 2023-24.

We had a window where we controlled our own picks, we controlled our own destiny. We knew we were going to have a very, very hard time being really competitive in that timeframe, given what we inherited, given what I inherited and my group inherited. I think we articulated that to our fan base and I think locally people paid attention.

It remains to be seen what happens after this season with head coach Stephen Silas, who is in the final fully guaranteed season of the contract he signed in 2020 to become head coach of the Rockets.

But according to Smith, Stone is adamant Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and his influential son, Patrick Fertitta, are on board with the general manager’s long-term plan.

“We all bought into this,” Stone said, as relayed by the Houston Chronicle. “We knew what we were getting into.”

“In terms of alignment and belief in what we’re doing, I feel very strongly that we’re all on the same page,” Stone concluded.

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Patrick Fertitta praises Rafael Stone, Eli Witus for Harden trade decision

Per ESPN, Patrick Fertitta credits Rafael Stone and Eli Witus for “making the hard and, at the time, very unpopular decision” to prioritize draft capital in the Harden trade.

Assuming the Rockets keep the pick, or if it is used it as part of a package to trade up, the No. 17 overall selection (via Brooklyn) in Thursday’s 2022 NBA draft will be Houston’s first potentially long-term player acquired from the controversial James Harden trade in January 2021.

Going forward, it certainly won’t be the last. And that choice by general manager Rafael Stone is looking less controversial by the day.

The Rockets own either Brooklyn’s first-round pick or a right to swap first-round picks with the Nets in each of the next five years, through 2027. With the Nets reeling from Harden’s midseason departure in February 2022 and uncertainty over Kyrie Irving’s next contract, the outlook for those assets has never been better, from a Houston perspective.

Granted, the Rockets did acquire some players in the Harden trade — namely Victor Oladipo (later traded for Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley), Dante Exum, and Rodions Kurucs. But none of those players remain with the Rockets today, and they were effectively included in the Harden trade as salary filler to satisfy the league’s matching rules.

The primary goal, when Houston decided it had to trade its disgruntled All-Star and former MVP, was the historic haul of draft assets. While many fans wanted the Rockets to go a different direction with more certainty — a package from Philadelphia headlined by Ben Simmons, in particular — the path Stone took is looking more attractive by the day.

According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Rockets ownership — namely, Tilman Fertitta and his son, Patrick — have noticed.

MacMahon writes:

Patrick Fertitta, Tilman’s son who is heavily involved in the Rockets’ day-to-day operations, credits Stone and assistant general manager Eli Witus for “making the hard and, at the time, very unpopular decision” to prioritize draft capital in the Harden trade. …

Patrick Fertitta: We made the decision from an ownership standpoint that our goal was to win a championship. In order to win a championship, you have to take material sacrifice and pain. I think [for] a lot of teams out there, a lot of organizations, a lot of ownership groups, a lot of front offices, their pain threshold doesn’t allow that.”

“We made a decision to go forward with that. It hasn’t been easy at times, but we’re committed to it, and we are aligned from ownership to the front office and on down the line to doing what it takes to give ourselves the highest probability of eventually winning a title. That’s the path we’ve chosen, and we’re sticking to it.”

Tilman Fertitta: If you look back at what we would have gotten versus the draft capital that we got, I couldn’t be happier with the decision.

It’s also worth noting that the path chosen by the Rockets allowed them to lose many more games in the 2020-21 season, which led to them maximizing their 2021 draft lottery odds and eventually drafting Jalen Green at No. 2 overall as a franchise cornerstone.

Had Houston acquired a package in the Harden trade with more immediate difference makers, the Rockets likely would have won more games. In that scenario, not only would the Rockets not have Green, but they likely would have tumbled in the first-round order — since Oklahoma City had a top-four-protected pick swap right with Houston.

It’s certainly not a victory lap, since Stone, Witus, and the rest of Houston’s front office still need to make appropriate choices with that draft capital. The Rockets also need to develop them in the right way. Whether Brooklyn actually breaks up its current core, or if they can find a way to salvage things with Irving, is still an open question. The answer could determine just how valuable those future picks are.

But in June 2022, 17 months after the Harden trade, the outlook is as positive as it realistically could be at such an early stage. The good news for Stone and Witus is that Houston’s ownership sees it, too.

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Jae’Sean Tate eager to prove Rockets right for contract guarantee

Jae’Sean Tate: “I’ve been working really hard this summer, and my whole goal is to prove Rafael, Patrick, and Tilman right.”

Earlier this month, Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta took the unconventional step of giving second-year forward Jae’Sean Tate an early guarantee for his upcoming NBA contract.

At the time, here’s what the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen wrote: “The decision to guarantee Tate’s contract was directed by Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, with Fertitta wanting to reward Tate but also to send the message that Tate’s determined play and attitude last season should be considered an example of the team’s priorities.”

Weeks later, in the first public comments by Tate since the news broke, he tells Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston that he is determined to prove Fertitta and the organization right for their commitment. Tate said:

I’m very grateful. All the thanks to Rafael [Stone], Patrick [Fertitta], and Tilman, for not only allowing me to have a little bit of comfort, financially, but also having that out of the back of my mind. It just shows how much that they trust me, and how important I am to them. That’s awesome. It just wants to make me work even harder.

A guy coming from being undrafted and going overseas… not only them guaranteeing one but two years, it just shows that they value me. That’s always great, when somebody shows that they value you. I’m just grateful to be here. I love the city of Houston, and I love being a part of this organization. I’m just excited.

I’ve been working really hard this summer, and my whole goal is to prove Rafael, Patrick, and Tilman right — that they did the right thing of guaranteeing those contracts. I think they will show this year.

A 6-foot-4 lefty who is known best for his defense, Tate averaged 11.3 points (50.6% FG), 5.3 rebounds and 29.2 minutes last season. Tate played in 70 of Houston’s 72 games, and his versatility and toughness quickly won supporters around the organization and positioned him as a key cog of the team’s ongoing rebuild. Now 25 years old, Tate is projected by most as a frontcourt starter entering 2021-22 training camp, and he’s under contract with the Rockets for at least two more seasons.

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Rockets to assist Astros star Alex Bregman in injury recovery

Astros star Alex Bregman, who has had multiple soft tissue leg injuries in 2021, will use equipment from the Rockets in his recovery.

Houston Astros star Alex Bregman, who has missed significant time in 2021 due to soft tissue injuries involving his left quadriceps muscle and hamstring, will soon be working out at Toyota Center during his recovery.

The Rockets are giving Bregman access to specialized equipment, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston.

“Alex and I spoke a little while ago, and we are going to make whatever he needs available to him to help his recovery,” said Patrick Fertitta, the son of Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta. “We love the Astros. So anything we can ever do for any of the guys, we are happy to.”

A two-time All-Star, Bregman was the starter at third base for the 2017 Astros, who won Major League Baseball’s World Series for the first time in franchise history. Bregman had the walk-off hit in Game 5, the swing game of that World Series.

Bregman finished second in Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting during the 2019 season, when he hit 41 home runs and helped take Houston back to the World Series. To return there in 2021, the Astros will likely need a healthy Bregman in close to peak form, and it seems Fertitta and the Rockets are willing to provide an important assist for that cause.

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Patrick Fertitta says Rafael Stone is final decision maker for Rockets

In response to a suggestion that Houston’s general manager was not making final decisions, the younger Fertitta pushed back strongly.

In the aftermath of Brad Stevens moving from head coach to head of basketball operations with the Boston Celtics, an understandable offshoot of the conversation involves the lack of top Black executives. Despite NBA players being overwhelmingly Black, that diversity hasn’t been similarly reflected in the lead coaching and executive ranks.

One exception to that rule is in Houston, where the Rockets have a Black head coach (Stephen Silas), a Black general manager (Rafael Stone), and a female head of business operations (Gretchen Sheirr). All are among the minority, by race or gender, for their position in the NBA. Even so, that hasn’t stopped some from wondering — including ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Wednesday — if they’re truly in positions of power.

“You’ve got some people out there saying Rafael Stone ain’t making the final call, even though (Tilman) Fertitta and the Houston Rockets swear that he is,” Smith said. “Okay, we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.”

Patrick Fertitta, who is the son of Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and effectively acts as the liaison at Toyota Center between basketball/business operations and ownership, quickly pushed back.

“It is Rafael’s call, always,” Fertitta replied on Twitter.

Stone was promoted to the top role in Houston last fall after the departure of longtime general manager Daryl Morey. Stone had most recently served as Morey’s No. 2 executive in basketball operations.

While some fans and media members around the NBA have disagreed with certain roster moves in Stone’s first year on the job — including the decision to trade James Harden to Brooklyn for a package heavy on future draft assets and light on immediate help — both the Rockets and Stone insist that such a decision is fully his, and unrelated to ownership.

When asked about Fertitta’s role in transactions after the league’s March 25 trade deadline, Stone replied: “No offense to my boss, but he doesn’t really have one, in a deal like this.”

Even coming off a season with the league’s worst record, the elder Fertitta says he has complete trust in Stone and Silas to steer the rebuild. “I can tell you this: I’m going to be patient,” Houston’s owner recently said. “I know my basketball guys know what they’re doing.”

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Report: Tilman Fertitta vows to stay out of Rockets’ rebuilding plan

“I hate losing so much I’m totally staying out of it, because I’m scared that I can make the wrong decisions,” Fertitta said.

The Houston Rockets (15-46) currently have the NBA’s worst record in the 2020-21 season, and there’s no immediate hope on the horizon for a better 2021-22 campaign. But as owner Tilman Fertitta sees it, these two seasons could be part of the price to pay for a better long-term future.

In an interview with Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle, Fertitta endorsed the longer-term rebuild seemingly put in place by general manager Rafael Stone. Among his comments:

It’s really, really hard because I am competitive and I hate to lose. But my people, including Tad (Brown) and (Rafael Stone) and even my son Patrick, just (say) the biggest mistake you can make right now is use all these picks to be a .500 club, because you’re never able to be a championship caliber club. But I hate losing so much I’m totally staying out of it, because I’m scared that I can make the wrong decisions. I want to win today. I just have to (stay out of it) because they’re right and they just gave me examples and examples.

Stone has identified Kevin Porter Jr., Christian Wood, Jae’Sean Tate, and KJ Martin as Houston’s “young core” for developmental purposes. In Fertitta’s interview, he indicated that he understands that perspective.

You’ve got to remember on Kevin Porter, he’s 20 years old. None of your superstars are great at 20. Go back and look at James Harden at 20. …

Are we going to be a championship team next year? No, we are not, OK? And I don’t even know that we’ll challenge for the playoffs next year. This is what they’re telling me. We can’t be stupid. Sometimes you’ve got to bide your time. You have to be patient, and you have to make good decisions.

The Rockets have the second-most picks of any NBA team in the first round of the next seven drafts, trailing only Oklahoma City. Unless many of those picks are traded for more established players, that would seemingly signal a commitment to a rebuilding process, since any prospects would need to be given time to develop and improve.

The complete interview can be read in the Houston Chronicle.

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