The Houston Rockets had a disappointing finish to the season. After losing to the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs, they are looking for ways to improve the roster. Losing to Los Angeles without them having their two best players was certainly a rough way to go out.
Of course, the Rockets also didn’t have Kevin Durant for most of those games, either. Now, the offseason is about improving the team to the point that they can actually contend for a title. Rafael Stone is the GM in charge of making those roster changes for Houston.
Houston is a team that has been linked to making a big trade this offseason. Stone recently addressed that possibility.
GettyHouston Rockerts forward Kevin Durant gets ready to shoot the ball. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Rockets GM Addresses the Possibility of Making Massive Trade
While on the Ryen Russillo Show, Stone talked about the chances of the Rockets making a big trade this summer.
“The backend of the roster, I think, is really important. You always want really good players. I do think 95 percent of the time, you’re better off having redundant strengths than you are having a guy who fits that isn’t as good of a basketball player. So there’s trade-offs.”
It doesn’t seem like Stone is overly concerned about grabbing a superstar-caliber player. He seems to be more worried about building up the depth of the roster after a slew of injuries hit the Rockets this season. They do have the assets to make a big trade if they want to, though.
For most of the year, Houston was seen as a team that could potentially try to make a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. They are one of the teams in the league that have the assets to pull off that sort of trade, as they have a good mix of young players and draft capital.
GettyMilwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo looks to pass the ball. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Houston Could Make Multiple Moves This Offseason
While Stone doesn’t seem too keen on making a big move for a superstar, that doesn’t mean that he won’t. He could decide that getting a second superstar to pair with Durant could be the best way to add talent to a roster that is clearly behind San Antonio and Oklahoma City.
Or, the Rockets could opt to make multiple moves around the fringes to improve the overall depth of the team. They should be healthier next season with both Fran VanVleet and Steven Adams returning. Both players are a big part of what Houston likes to do.
During the playoffs, Houston had the 13th-ranked offense out of 16 teams. That is mostly because of the injuries, but adding more depth can help with that. Stone will have all summer to decide which moves are the best ones to make. A decision on a big trade will likely occur before the Draft, however.
Houston is a team to watch this summer.
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