Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Ben DuBose

Rafael Stone shares outlook on Steven Adams trade, post-deadline state of the Rockets

Rafael Stone Steven Adams Rockets Ben DuBose Houston Jalen Green Vanessa Richardson clutchfans NBA

In the end, the recent trade of second-round draft assets to Memphis for veteran center Steven Adams was the only February 2024 move for the Houston Rockets. While Adams is a reliable big man who has started for playoff teams throughout a strong career, the 30-year-old will not be available until next season due to a knee injury.

Despite several rumors going into Thursday’s in-season deadline day for 2023-24 NBA trades, none came to fruition in Houston.

With the deadline transaction window complete, general manager Rafael Stone took questions from reporters prior to Monday’s matchup versus New York (Houston’s first post-deadline home game). First and foremost on the agenda was addressing the completed deal.

“I think we got a really high-level basketball player, a guy who’s been a dominant rebounding force in the NBA for the last five, six years, one of the best defenders in the NBA,” Stone said. “We obviously feel great with Alperen [Sengun], but I just think now we have truly two starter-level centers next year. Depth is just extraordinarily important. But on top of that, he’s just a very different player, and I think will be a good complement on and off the court for our group.”

Topics in the extended Q&A session included motivations for the Adams deal and his health outlook for the 2024-25 campaign; why no other trades got to the finish line this month; and how Stone views the path forward as the team moves through its rebuilding phases.

Here’s our roundup of what Stone told media members on Monday.

Rafael Stone interview tidbits, Feb. 12

 

 

 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Keira Knightley Revisits "Trauma" of Being Accused of Having an Eating Disorder
"I'll suddenly have a very bodily memory of it because, ultimately, it's public shaming."
Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Keira Knightley recalls ‘public shaming’ she felt amid claims she had an eating disorder
‘It’s obviously part of my psyche, given how young I was,’ she recalls about the eating disorder claims
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
The Simpsons: Hit & Run dev says they could've made 3 sequels without paying a penny for the license: "Some crazy person at the publisher - we never found out who - said no"
"We never imagined it would still be bringing some people happiness 20 years later!"
GamesRadar
GamesRadar
Wrestler, film star – and future president? Why we should all take Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson seriously
The WWE icon, already one of Hollywood’s highest-paid film stars, has shown himself to be ‘focus group-proof’
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Eating this fruit before bed can help you sleep better – but expert opinions are divided
TikTok strikes again with its avocado sleep hack – but does it actually work?
T3
T3
Cher was ‘shocked’ to discover her legal name after birth certificate mix-up
Pop icon had gone for years without knowing what was written on her birth certificate
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play