Rafael Stone: Rockets focused on internal growth, not short-term trades

Las Vegas is the NBA’s unofficial home through July 17, with players, coaches, and executives on hand representing each of the league’s 30 teams at summer league. But while that setting does allow for more face-to-face interactions, it may not necessarily lead to trades, and particularly not for a rebuilding club like the young Houston Rockets.

In a mid-game interview on Saturday, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone was asked by ESPN whether he views summer league as a time to make deals, given the proximity to other executives. He responded:

I don’t think so. I think of it as a time to focus on your team. Once you get through the draft and beginning of free agency, it’s more about your group. For us, we’re really looking for internal growth. We’re not one piece away.

Rafael Stone on Vegas being a time to make trades: “I don’t think so. I think of it as a time to focus on your team. Once you get through the draft + beginning of free agency, it’s more about your group. For us, we’re really looking for internal growth. We’re not one piece away.”

— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) July 10, 2022

In theory, veteran guard Eric Gordon could be a trade candidate, since his age (at 33 years old) isn’t in perfect alignment with when Houston next expects to contend. It could also make sense for Stone and the Rockets to explore any possibilities as a third- or fourth-team facilitator in Brooklyn’s trade talks involving superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

In both cases, however, it doesn’t seem that the Rockets are desperate or planning to force the issue. If a team happens to meet their asking price and proposes a trade that makes sense from a value perspective, Stone and the rest of Houston’s front office will certainly consider it.

But it seems the primary focus is on developing the young core that is already on Houston’s roster — both for the summer league players, as well as the remainder of the roster that has reportedly rented out a gym in Las Vegas in hopes of making further progress as a group.

Rockets GM Rafael Stone says on the ESPN2 broadcast that every player on the Rockets roster came to Las Vegas except Boban Marjanovic, who is with the Serbian national team. The Rockets who are not on the summer league team rented a gym in Vegas to practice in, Stone said.

— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) July 10, 2022