Stone responds to Rockets team winning team: highly praised Durant and explains why the Green White Devils are traded

On July 8, Rockets general manager Stone was interviewed by the media to talk about the operation of this offseason, including why he wanted to trade Durant and the reasons for his breakup with Green and Whitmore.

When the Rockets completed the biggest deal in the NBA offseason - a deal that even snatched the limelight of the NBA Finals tiebreak, General Manager Stone had enough reason to believe that he was making the right decision to push the Rockets to the playoffs.

Why did the Rockets trade to Durant?

The biggest factor is simple. "Because he's Kevin Durant," Stone said.

Stone answered questions about the Rockets' restructuring lineup, led by two-time NBA champion Durant, in a training facility that has been opened for less than a year. A few steps away, the Rockets' two championship trophys in 1994 and 1995 were placed in a glass cover.

Durant will turn 37 in September, and he has one season left on his current contract, but he is always eligible to sign a contract extension with the Rockets at any time this season. A core question is how Durant's career timeline will affect the Rockets' championship window, or how the two will overlap.

Stone said: "We were the second-seeded team in the West last season, and I think that's true. So we feel we have the ability to compete for the championship now. We lost a close series last season, and we think we had a real chance to compete for the championship in the playoffs last season, and we hope to have that opportunity this year."

Durant is expected to strengthen the Rockets' offense. Last season, under the leadership of head coach Uduka, the Rockets' offense was struggling, and Uduka had previously established a friendship with Durant through the US Men's Basketball Team and the Nets. Stone said Uduka supported the Rockets' deal to get Durant, but he emphasized that this is a move recognized by the entire team's management and praised Durant's efficiency and his ability to create scoring opportunities in the half-court offense.

Stone said: "On the offensive end, he is still very explosive and efficient. He is a high-yield and efficient scorer. He hopes that he can make us a team with better offense, and he is also a long-sized and capable forward defensive player. We just hope he can maintain that form he has been in the past two decades and contribute to the team."

This expectation is not only reflected in Durant's scoring. Over the past two summers, the Rockets have arranged forward Jabbarry Smith Jr. and guard Jaylen Green (who was sent to Phoenix in Durant’s trade) to train with Durant, which heralds the 15-time All-Star player’s influence on young players. "His work ethic is amazing. His training speed and intensity are one of the reasons that made him great over the years, and it started since he was a very young man. So of all the things I hope young players can learn from him, that's the main point." Durant was limited by an ankle injury last season and played 62 games for the Suns, but he still ranked in the top 10 in the league (26.6 points), shooting percentage, 3-point shooting percentage and free throw shooting percentage were 53%, 43% and 84% respectively. Stone was not worried about Durant's appearance.

Stone said: "He plays when he can. Our roster, at least on paper, is very deep and when he can't play, the other players will come forward."

Durant has not arrived in Houston yet, but Stone said his initial exchange with Durant was pleasant. However, the real work has not begun.

Stone said: "It all sounds great, but it's only July. Hope it lasts forever. So for all of us, we have to work hard to win everything we get." Why did the Rockets send Green and the White Devils away? The addition of Durant, Capela and Finney Smith, coupled with the Rockets' decision to trade former No. 2 pick Green and 2023 first round pick Cam Whitmore, represents a major change in the team's way of achieving another championship goal.

The Rockets have become more mature and experienced. For the first time in some time, they will start the new NBA season with a lineup of all adult players. "I don't think we're a team that develops young players anymore. This shift could have happened a year or two ago, and I think the goal of this team is to win games and stay competitive as much as possible." The Rockets still have a young squad with Shin Kyung, Jabbarry Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Ethan and Shepard as the core, but over the past three years, the team has parted ways with five other former first-round picks. In the summer of 2023, the Rockets sent Usman Garuba, Tait Washington and Josh Christopher in a five-team deal in exchange for Dillon Brooks. This offseason, the Rockets gave up Green in Durant's trade and sent Whitmore to the Wizards in exchange for two second-round draft picks.

Stone said trading Green to get Durant is "needed" because Green's annual salary is as high as $33.3 million, and his ball-scoring role with the Rockets with high shooting rights will overlap with Durant's responsibilities.

However, Stone said it was a difficult decision to abandon Green's first player in the reconstruction process.

Stone said: "Jaylen is great. He did everything we asked him to do. He has both talent and work ethics and a good character. You should cherish it any time you have the honor to work with a talented, hard-working and very friendly person. So from a team perspective, we value him very much. So, it's really hard. ”

As for Whitmore, he has never entered the Rockets' crowded front rotation in two seasons with the Rockets, Stone said that this is because of the mismatch of opportunities.

{I think Cam is a talented and very good young man, and we want to give him a chance to go home and put him in an environment where he can really grow from mistakes, and in the Rockets team he joins, we can't give him that opportunity. ”

Although the Rockets' offense will undoubtedly be different this season, the team hopes to maintain the tough defensive style created by Uduka. The Rockets signed Finney Smith to try to replace Dillon Brooks' defensive strength and shooting ability. Stone also emphasized again that the Rockets intend to let Capela participate more in the double tower lineup