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Did Rockets Screw Up Trade Deadline? | Udoka vs. Rafael Stone (w/ Kiss of Death Host Michael Brown)



Did Rockets Screw Up Trade Deadline? | Udoka vs. Rafael Stone (w/ Kiss of Death Host Michael Brown)

Welcome to Houston sports talk with your host Robert land thanks for checking into the best Houston sports podcast and joining me to talk Rockets trade deadline is the host of the kiss of death podcast Michael Brown great to have you back Michael and we might as well just get right into this because

There’s a ton to talk about and I’m just kind of curious are you at all shocked the Rockets did nothing beyond the Stephen Adams trade no I’m not first of all thank you for having me back I it’s no I mean if you’ve listened to my you

Know hour show before Jeremy and I I am not a stone guy I don’t like Rafael Stone I don’t trust him to build a contender I think that they completely fumbled this trade deadline uh I like Stephen Adams a lot but a guy who’s 30

Gonna be 31 coming off a knee surgery to to play legitimate backup center minutes next season is a scary proposition Rafael Stone left the team in no man’s land for this year you know and this you didn’t trade Jon Tate you traded away our best trade ship contract in Victor

Olad Depot for a guy who does nothing for us this year and you threw in three second round picks I hate it I hate what they did at the deadline I don’t know if I can make it any clear I mean I just I I don’t like it I’m not shocked I don’t

Trust Rafael Stone one bit to run this team I think he needs to go as soon as possible if the Rockets are serious about winning yeah I I agree with you about Stone and I’m gonna get into stone in a second but I guess I’m not shocked

For a couple of other reasons first of all they need to Leap Frog two teams right now just to make the play End giving draft picks even second round picks for bench level players and that’s pretty much all that was dealt if you look around the transactions I mean

Doing all that when your best hope is the 10th seed and a one-game exit would not be wise in my humble opinion it’s better to keep the salary and all the assets that you have for the summer all these nets first round picks uh the second round picks that you have left

And I’ll get into the second round picks in a second but it’s also worth factoring in this Michael and this is what we don’t know van bleet has an abductor strin their medical staff knows more than we do this isn’t talked about much right now but is this really only

Gonna be a couple of weeks Michael I mean I don’t know I don’t know either and I like I like Aaron holiday I think am man Thompson’s playing at a much higher level now which is great you look around the league I I think it was definitely a a quieter deadline but I

Think there’s numerous teams that did some things that I love look at Dallas I think Dallas killed it at the deadline to and to get back to your question you know I I don’t know I I don’t know what the Rockets are going to do with Van

Fleet if he’s out long term I think the Rockets essentially are punting on the rest of this year and I hate that I’m never going to be a fan of that I think they could have gone out and gotten some help I think Cory Joseph out there right

Now to the rockets look to the buyout Market to try and improve the roster probably not but you know I think they like ammen Thompson I think they like Aaron holiday I think the Rockets have a much bigger problem internally that I don’t think anybody’s talking about and

That’s in my opinion what’s going to be a growing Rift between eoka and his direction for this team and the way this current front office approaches team building there numerous stories out there about how eay wants them to whim now and good for him I’m on team eok on

This all day long yeah and I’m gonna get to that in just a second I just want to run over just some of the perspective deals before we move on because trust me I I want to talk Stone the Rockets they needed shooting the Pacers get Doug

McDermot from the Spurs for a future second round pick could the Rockets have done that the Pacers used three seconds to get buddy heel are they traded or they get got three seconds I should say for Buddy heel would it have been better for the Rockets to spend three seconds

On heal which is an expiring contract or stepen Adams who can’t play till next year you know I I understand that from the Rockets perspective but also Michael the Mavs gave up a first round pick you mentioned the Mavs for Daniel Gafford Rockets could have used the big man but

As I figured they didn’t want to give up their first round picks which have a higher value just for Gafford and and this is why I didn’t really think the Rockets were going to be able to do much in in the in the trade season Once the stepen Adams for the seconds because

They had lost a lot of their seconds and we we’re going to get into that in a second what happened to those second round picks but they had lost a lot of those so all that you had left to deal were those Nets first round picks which

If you’re going to trade those you want something way higher value than was available on the market which I knew that was going to be the issue or you know you had guys that the Rockets didn’t necessarily want to give up just for anything because I I still believe

That they’ve got all of these salaries that are expiring or like almost salaries that they use because they knew they were going to deal them The Jock landels the Jan Tates etc etc that they didn’t want to use that you know powder and unless it was on maybe a bigger fish

And the bigger fish just wasn’t out there look I think he was I think I think Mel Bridges could have been had for the right price and I think a lot of the Rockets fans are looking at the Timeline which I love I love when people use that because it’s an artificial

Timeline well you you say they could have got bridges for the from everything that I’ve heard like the Nets are W they’ve turn they put out there or somebody’s putting out there they’ve turned out five first round picks for M Bridges the Rockets According to some reports offer Jaylen green and some if

Not all of those first round picks and they turn that down I don’t know like I don’t I don’t know how much this is like the Nets saying this is what they’re doing and and maybe that’s not the way it went down or that the Rockets did

This and it didn’t happen I wouldn’t have given all those first round picks and Jaylen green but I mean I could see I could see the point of giving up Jaylen green in a couple of those first- round picks like you know I had the conversation you know Jeremy and I had a

Show on earlier today he thinks Jaylen green is a better player than than Mel Bridges which is asinine to me I told him that on the show today yeah I I love doing shows with Jeremy because and it’s you know when I do shows like this he and I we have great

Back and forth because we come from very different philosophies as to building this team for me Miguel Bridges is a perfect fit for this team I give up Jaylen green honestly in that deal and I know this might be unpopular I would have given him tar een as well I would

Have done both of those guys two or three first round picks done because Mel Bridges is exactly the type of guy that this team meet you put him next to Dylan Brooks and Fred Van Fleet and shenon now you’re building out a roster the problem with this team right now dude is this

Roster does not make any sense it didn’t make any sense at the beginning of the year I like I like the talent on the team but it doesn’t fit like these guys the rendition of this roster just does not fit you have too many guys it wasn’t

Gonna fit it was never gonna fit though because you know you spent three years of we got to get the best guy you and this is the right philosophy you got six first round picks relatively High first- round picks those core six are on the roster you basically when you drop those

Guys you go okay need to get the guy that’s the best shot at a home run pick and the rockets went for home run picks and I frankly think they hit on some of those home run picks and we could talk about that at some point but forgetting

All of that you know it wasn’t going to fit perfectly they brought in guys to role play around those guys and Dylan Brooks and Fred Van vet but just my my point like I said at the beginning is you know you you just don’t have enough of those guys and and when you’re

Relying so much on six guys that have played three years or less in the NBA to carry you to a 500 team and hopefully into the play and it’s just it’s it’s it’s not gonna work but they’re also like as as you say that they’re right there and that’s that’s the problem that

I have the biggest problem that I have is either go in on the youth and don’t bring in Fred vanfleet and Dylan Brooks and Jeff Green or go even more into that mindset of okay so we have those guys now let’s go get them and kale Bridges

That’s the problem that I have is that they’re trying to maintain this flexibility if they would have continued to try and build build around this roster right now this is a playoff team they are good enough they’re good enough again though they tried to get Bridges I

Mean that’s yeah for sure they did try to get him they they everybody’s pissed off that they don’t have a good big man a good defensive big man they tried to get Brook Lopez it failed and then he did a bunch of stupid okay let me just

Get into raone I just we might that absolutely his roster construction you know this is about the issue with his roster construction and it kind of the huge flops based on that when you bunch of you know when you got a bunch of young guys on cheap contracts there’s a

Ton of space for vets but you got to figure out how not to overpay well he backs himself into a corner first of all with Kevin Porter which he’s still paying for he thought Porter would be a good rotation piece going into this year you know and you could go all all about

The Kevin Porter Saga prior to this year but that was a lot of money for a rotation piece and basically he had a bunch invested there not only does he not have them he spends a bunch of seconds just to hold on to that salary spot meaning he can’t improve the roster

He also screwed up on Brook Lopez and again threw away a bunch of seconds on Lopez got left with the worthless money and Landell I had no issue with overpaying Van vet and Dylan Brooks a little bit but the reason he’s at that point was the inability to find cheap

Quality vets during the silus years and Michael good GMS make mistakes all the time look you’re gonna screw up you go after Brook Lopez you think you got him you don’t have him but Stone keeps making expensive mistakes he’s not smart enough to wiggle out of no he’s not and

The name the name that I want to replace him and it’s a to me this would be a home run hire go get Bob Myers Bob Myers figured it out in Golden state for so many years with so many of those guys that you just talked about the the cavon

Loonies of the world the Iguodala the I mean the list goes on and on and the problem with stone is that stone gets credit for building this roster okay first of all you haven’t won anything second of all okay so what are the hits on this roster right now you look at

Jaylen green Jaylen green what fell into his lap because they didn’t get the number one pick same thing with Jabari you can give him credit for cam Whitmore cam Whitmore was the obvious pick at 20 when the Rockets were sitting there and he fell into his lap I give him credit

For T een but T een at this point is nothing more than a a good role player he hasn’t played in two months and who knows what’s going on with the arthritis in his knee I give him credit for shenon I do not give him credit for for Van

Fleet uh Jeff Green I don’t give it I give him credit for Jeff Green uh but van uh van Fleet Dylan Brooks and eoka fall in the realm of Tilman fertita because Tilman fertita was willing to open up the piggy bank to go get those three guys that doesn’t fall on Stone it

Does not well here’s the thing though Stone I don’t know know if he had anything to do with it but Stone you know had some part of the process and udoka udoka is a great hire I don’t think anybody’s complaining about udoka there there are minor things that we’re

Not happy about with udoka maybe as a coach there are things that he could do a little bit better but udoka was in the finals less than two years ago and he’s here and he’s here with stone here so either Stone had something to do with

Hiring him or stone was good enough to get along with udoka and convinced him that he would be good enough so you in a way you have to credit him for ok and if you’re crediting him for udoka you got to give him the credit for Van vet and

Dylan Brooks and Jeff Green which are the moves that you know udoka wanted to make now what we always do and I think what there is there’s a lot of quote unquote rumors out there everybody say well I heard this and whatever everybody’s saying they know you know

Well Stone like this guy but he didn’t you know Stone wanted jenon traded and everybody else you know and this other person wanted to keep shanon around and bl I hear all this stuff and maybe all of that’s the case and maybe he’s just you know kind of backward fell backward

Into a lot of this stuff but look shenon he was the steal of that draft tar een I love the tar e pick as soon as they made it I thought you know there were other ways to go there was a ton of other teams that made mistakes before they

Drafted tar e t e you can say well he hadn’t done anything all I know is tar e affects winning more than any other player on the Rockets team right now when he’s on the court the numbers say this my eye test says it tar een when

He’s out there yeah he’s been hurt this year okay it’s his second year let’s give him more than you know let’s see if that’s for his entire career that guy is a is a high high-end role player in the NBA that guy can be a a super highend

Role player e mayoka compared him to kawh Leonard he coached kawh Leonard I’m gonna take him at some degree of his word it might be a little bit of an overstatement but it’s not the old you know John Lucas when he would compare Somebody To You know somebody nuts or

You know it’s like that’s you know look he he he seems like he’s a pretty he’s not full of hyperbole let me put it that way and for for him to say you know Ka Leonard that’s something so that the tar is and the shenon stuff he got right Kim

Whitmore you could say that was the obvious pick should have been obvious for about 10 picks before that but he did it um and and you got to give him credit too because he made the trade to move up from the back end of that first

Round up 10 picks and that that move got him wh more up eight picks that was the Eric Gordon trade and that was a really really smart move to move up and it got you a little in a little bit better conversation what kind of pick that you

Could get and he gets C so he he’s done good we I hate everybody this disregards everything there is Nuance but I agree with you in the big picture about it yeah no and I think you I think you put it perfectly I I think he’s done some

Good things I think with the amount of situations he’s been put in I mean you’re bound to get it right a couple times the bottom line is my hot take he’s gone after this year I don’t I don’t think udoka wants him here I don’t know that for a fact they’re they’re on

Two different wavelengths to me although Stone’s been a lifer in that organization he’s been there 20 plus years he used to be the head want to say he was in their their legal department I don’t know if he was chief coun for the Rockets but he’s been in that

Organization for a while I think it’s a Changing of the Guard I think the rockets need to move on from him there are things with this roster again that I just I don’t like I don’t think I’m in the this the small pool of people shenon is not a center they’re they’re misplace

They’re misplaying him at the five that’s that’s a huge problem that the Rockets have they’re not going to win anything at a high level with him as their starting center I’m not saying he shouldn’t be here I’m not saying you don’t give him an extension he is not a

Center so running into this problem here’s here’s where I’m gonna disagree with you on that this is you know we’re in first of all I hate when people talk about this position or that position I mean this is if we’re talking about that we’re talk we’re we’re acting like this

Is the 1980s it’s position lless basketball it’s K shanon be one of the guys on the floor and you when you have shanon on the floor you’re gonna have to put somebody next to him another big he’s obviously a big you’re not telling me he’s a small forward or point guard

Right no absolutely not no okay so you’re you have another big on the floor whoever ever that other big is he’s got to be a floor spacer and he’s got to be somebody that can potentially make up a little bit for shanon’s defense or you have to have other guys look shenon

Whatever you want to say about him the Rockets are seventh in the NBA and they’re a top 10 defense right now with shenon playing nearly every’s has he missed a game this year I think he missed one game you know so shenon basically has played the whole season

And they’ve got a really good defense despite the fact that jabari’s only in a second year that Jaylen green stinks on defense that you know you’ve got a bunch of other guys that are RI that are playing like Cam and amen I mean it’s it’s it’s good enough what Shen goon’s

Doing he’s got look Shen goon still got to be better and his defense has falling off you know as the schedules increased and you expect that with the 21 year old in his third year taking on the role of like an All-Star level Center as far as

That kind of us usage and stuff like that but you know shenon I mean he’s fine where he’s at it’s just you you got to put the right guys around him and and and that’s not that wasn’t gonna happen overnight because we didn’t know what Shang goon was because we wasted two

Years on Silas that’s fair and he’s he started in all 50 games so he has played appeared and started in all 50 games and I agree with you I think when I say he’s not a center that that gets people not you but people just like oh my God Mike

You hate him like no I don’t hate him the problem is you put it perfectly they’re not putting the right guy next to him Jabari is too finesse next to him too many times I get the numbers I’m not a numbers guy for the most part I get it

We’re a top 10 defensive team but so many individual instances I can point out in game where he just gets bullied below or down low he just gets manhandled by these guys he’s 20 he’s 20 though right right he is the problem that I have is that when you bring in em

Udoka all of your expectations as a Rockets fan get heightened this is not silus anymore this team being 23 and 27 are underperforming based on the moves they made in the offseason that’s the problem that I have with this team right now I think they’re playing well I think

It’s much better than the last couple years I mean good God it couldn’t get any worse you know but that’s why looking at a deadline today where they just stood Pat and didn’t do anything is disappointing that’s the best word for it because they’re holding on to this

Hope that they’re going to be a ble to get a superstar what happens if they don’t then what well the thing is I if you’re asking me what happens if they don’t get a superstar I’m not worried about because I I actually think there there are two two All-Star high level

Guys on this roster and I feel like there’s a a really great potential for a third guy uh you look I you know if you’re asking me I’m just going to be straight up honest with you and tell you course the most talented guy on this

Team and the guy that has a potential to be a top five or 10 guy is Cam Whitmore he’s 19 years old and the guy can score 30 at the drop of a hat at the age of 19 years old he’s not going to be 20 until

This summer and he’s the mo he looks like the most athletic player on the basketball floor every single night he’s got the mentality he’s got all of the stuff that Jaylen doesn’t have he’s bigger he’s stronger he can play better defense he can rebound better you know

He he’s more explosive he finish he can finish out the basket better when as soon as he figures some things out I mean there’s some stuff where he’s missed on it but my God he’s he’s still scoring whatever it is 25 per 36 right now and I’m pretty sure when you and I

Did our last show together I Nam dropped him a guy that I loved he’s baby kawh Leonard look at his game he passes the eye test the dude is the dude is a monster I wouldn’t compare him to Kawaii never had that sort of athletic he’s not gonna be that defensively but cerebral

He’s cerebral like Kawai is that’s what I love love the guy no Whitmore you talking about talking about Whitmore no I cerebral you talk about cerebral smartest guy on the team as far as basketball IQ is we’re talking about I mean am and Thompson is Lighty years above all of

These guy except for maybe Fred who’s does what he does at under six feet tall and has stayed in the league with his his brain but I mean he may I mean excuse me Alan Thompson is that guy is but cam I’m still trying to figure out

Because he’s still he’s still you know I don’t know about his IQ because I’m still wondering about he’s missing open guys as far as passing goes he doesn’t see that when two or three guys come at him he doesn’t know okay where’s the open guy you know that stuff I still

Want to see and can he develop that and is that in him but I I’m going to give him that opportunity because I spent three years you know looking for Jaylen green to do some some of that stuff and it’s come along at a glacial Pace at

Best yeah and when I say cerebral I mean the guy just sees the game so well he just he attacks in the right spots can shoot he can pass he can rebound he plays defense I love cam Whitmore love I like amen Thompson I don’t love him yet

He can’t shoot that’s the problem with Thompson is that he can’t shoot but he does everything else I mean I’m looking here I mean he 17 minutes a game he averages seven points five rebounds three assists he’s got a steal a game he’s got a block the

Rockets he’s a part of the roster it’s a log Jam right because you look at am man Thompson and he screams he should be your starting point guard starting next year but then what do you do with Van Fleet cam Whitmore should be starting I

Mean van van I don’t care about him I don’t care about van vet he can play off ball he can play Off the Bench you know he he’s got a lot you need right now you you don’t have rotation guys you need a van vet even if he’s playing 25 or 30

Minutes and I know everybody is going to scream and like oh my God we’re playing a guy 40 million forget the salary we didn’t pay van vet because he was gonna be worth $40 million physically we paid for him to bring in the leadership to to Mentor these guys which which he’s doing

To to bring that winning which you know the fact that they are close to 500 that that is totally on Van vet until he got run into the ground by udoka you know he he had done a great job out there and the thing is and and I would say though

The third guy you you were talking about him Aman Thompson that that’s the third guy that I think could be a star player and look if he can’t shoot you know we’ve seen guys recently that can’t shoot but are All-Star level guys Russell Westbrook and I know Westbrook

Shoots better than am man Thompson but Aman Thompson is also a better passer he’s better at defense he’s better at other things than Russell Westbrook and then you got Ben Simmons and and Ben Simmons and am man Thompson are probably the closest that’s the closest thing

That you can say but am man Thompson doesn’t have the mentality of Ben Simmons like I’m scared to shoot or whatever and so you know when I look at am and Thompson I’m like yeah he can’t shoot but man if you do everything else at an elite level you could still be an

All-Star and the guy if you could figure out how to score when you can’t shoot and he can that that’s that’s that’s perfect he’s a good ball listen he he’s he has a good start and something that I struggle with as a fan is this is year

Four of the rebuild like I’m tired of rebuilding and I know that they’re reaping some of those benefits of that rebuild now I.E cam Whitmore shenon taking that next step like all of these guys it’s great I want results the only thing that matters to me I don’t care

About Allstars I don’t care about MVPs I care about how close we are to winning a title that’s it that’s the only thing that matters to me as a fan and sometimes that doesn’t make for for great shows you know that I do is because I focus on how you know that’s

Great I’m and Thompson had a great game but we lost by seven why did we lose by how do we get to the promised land and I think I think who was it I think it was Jackson Gatlin had a really good point on Twitter today that Rockets fans have

To be able to say in order to get there they’re gonna have to give up some of this star youth now who is it Jaylen green is the name at the top of that list you know the the what do they call it the young six the core six however

Yeah people want to look at this they’re gonna have to give up some of those guys if they’re going to acquire that Superstar when you look across the league Superstars are so hard to come by well here’s here’s the thing though you just talked about and we both said we

Would probably give up Jaylen to get miles Bridges oh yeah M Bridges I wouldn’t do it for Miles I’m sorry yeah big mistake right Kevin for I don’t want to give up Kevin Porter junor Jr uh I don’t want him but yeah no if you you

Would give up that for where they are in this issue is here’s the thing you’re you’re trying to get a superstar if you’ve got guys that you feel like can be that in a in an NBA that is totally changed the salary cap and that and the

Beginning this summer it’s a it’s a whole different deal and so I I believe that you just go out and you spend the money right now on the high-end role players because I have the confidence in a couple of these guys that they’re going to hit I mean look shenon was

Almost an Allstar this year let’s okay let’s start with that shanon’s almost an All-Star cam Whitmore by next year he could be if if he’s playing 30 minutes a game we could be talking about Kim Whitmore in the All-Star conversation so and my this is my

I don’t want to go out and get because usually the guys that are available the superstars that are available they’re available because they’re 30 31 32 33 they’re demanding a trade why don’t you bu why don’t you keep building on these guys and now we have a coach instead of

Stephen Silas that it’s going to take these guys eight years to develop udoka is gonna take it he’s gonna he’s speeding up that process by a time and let’s do that we don’t I mean I don’t want to bring in broken down Joel embiid I’m sorry like yeah Joel embiid’s great

Except he never he never plays when when when it comes in the postseason because he’s always hurt or when he plays he’s playing on one leg like start naming off the superstars that you think you’re going to get and I’ll give you like 4,000 problems and it’s the reason why

They’re available why don’t you just develop the guys that you got like Oklahoma City is doing instead of trying to go out and grab that guy that’s that’s the the dream guy that’s out there I’m fine with the guys that we I think that we’ve got the guys just give

It another couple years and actually put some players around them like we talked about it bridges yeah I think it’s a great Point by you I think the one thing that’s being missed there is also the salary cap right you gotta talk some of these guys are going to be up for

Extensions you know soon what do you do with Jaylen green what do you do with shenon TR you trade Jaylen green um shenon you sign him to that it doesn’t have to be like a a jillion dollar Max but he’s gonna get the max you know what

Are you gonna so what does the deal look like for him you’re gonna give him five years 200 million I would give him like a Max but not like a high Max but yeah he’s worth it if he’s an Allstar he’s worth it and look you don’t have to make

The decision on shenon at the end of this year you can wait another year and see where he is but I mean look if he’s an All-Star player then that’s the going rate and then jayen Green’s gone so you don’t have to worry about that we’re three years away from worrying about

Jabari andari but Jabari andari neither of those guys are Max guys we’re talking about you know when they hit the market they’re gonna be they’re gonna be making you know like mid-tier money and you could afford that the guys that I think that you that you don’t start talking

About that are four years away because I think Cam and ammen are the guys along with shanon are the guys that we’re talking about the 200 I mean that’s the $200 million doll question right is would I give that to shenon no I wouldn’t he doesn’t $200 million I mean

It’s I get it it’s a going raid for All-Star level players I get it he’s just I I love him offensively good God to I hate him defensively I mean he is so bad defensively but like you said I don’t hate the notion of building around your youth your youth is what the

Rockets have going for him right now and they stood Pat today and that’s okay you know what my feelings on this trade deadline are not for everybody there are enough people out there though that I saw today that are not happy with what the Rockets did today time will tell

Time will tell who’s going to be right I’ll just say this quickly on shanon sure you said he’s not there defensively I’ve watched the NBA for 40 years yeah it it takes big guys a long time he came into the league super young he’s still only 21 years old right at

The beginning of the year his defense had improved light years and then the schedule and the the workload and everything that you know you you have to get used to once you become an Allstar and and the whole thing is on your shoulders it started to get to him and

He couldn’t handle it give him another year you might feel differently about his defense you might feel better about where he’s at give him another year of maturity give him another year of working in the offseason with udoka let’s let’s do that with shenon like Akim elijuan was not a finished product

You know he was but obviously he was a great defensive player when he came into the NBA but he was not a finished product when he when he walked into the NBA and and aim was definitely older than changon was when he got into the NBA and and AE had worked against you

Know college guys and high-end situations for three years with the University of Houston it was a different story he was going up against Patrick euwing you know college Patrick uwing but a very you know senior 21-year-old Patrick euwing in the finals so like give shenon that chance and and I want

To just go back to this real quick because you were you talked about it earlier Kelly EO writes OKO wanted to make a big move the front office wanted patience now I agree with the patience and I don’t like the head coach totally controlling everything that leads to

Panic Moses that scares me I’m kind of glad that there is that in the front office however you talked about it you wonder if you’re starting to see the first signs in a rift between these two guys it’s always felt like a tenuous relationship to me because udoka

Immediately he’s got more power as soon as he’s hired because of you know what he’s done and what stone has not done and Michael just I mean we all know this it’s pretty obvious OKO knows more about basketball than Stone he absolutely does and it’s so crazy that you know one of

The final things I’ll say is what’s going on with the Texans and the rockets is so fascinatingly similar different sport I get it but look at you know you bring in Deo Deo has more of the power than Caserio does it’s obvious especially after the success for this

Year same thing with udoka and when you have a difference of philosophies like Stone and udoka have because it is blatantly obvious you’re going to have problems and we live in this world and I’m as guilty of it as anybody we in sports we want immediate success we

Bring these guys in you need to succeed you need to succeed right now and it just doesn’t happen happen that way and I’m willing to be patient with the right regime in place the problem is the Rockets do not have the right regime in place they have the right head coach

They do not have the right general manager they do not have the the cohesion there which means they’re never going to build this together to a title winning roster and team if we had somebody different I would be saying I would be having a lot different feelings

About this but that’s where I think this is going I think it eventually ends in divorce this offseason I think the Rockets move on from Stone and I for would be more than happy with that move I wouldn’t even care who they brought in to be honest with you because udoka is

The general of this thing I mean that’s a guy that I would hitch my wagon to and I trust explicitly to get this thing to where it needs to go and they’re on the they’re on the way I agree with you I think shenon All-Star level player I

Think they hit on cam I think this roster is going to be very very good in a couple years how quickly can they expedite that rebuild that’s the that’s the major question here and they didn’t do and the fact is they didn’t do anything at this deadline to help move

That along quicker and that for me is a reason why it’s a disappointment if I had to grade the trade deadline for the Rockets I’d give it a c minus here’s the deal with this or front the front office in this organization the way I look at

This is go go check out the rest of the league ask the Lakers about their fan base about what they thought of this one and what they thought of some of what’s been done with their organization the last few years we can go organization but there is a lot of badly run NBA

Organizations and the rockets have their issues but Michael you got to somehow as a Rockets fan look through all the smoke and go you know this is this is a glass Out full situation as long as Stone isn’t around longterm running this into the ground making those mistakes they’re

Still pretty good the next few months and year are going to tell us a lot and that’s where you could start to get real scared but they got udoka okay like every there’s a lot of a lot of organizations that would love udoka the Detroit Pistons right now would love

Udoka um that there’s a lot of organizations that would love shenon to build on there’s a lot of organizations that wish they took cam Whitmore and wish they took tar een and there’s a lot of organizations that would be super excited about what amand Thompson brings

To the table I mean this is a fun and exciting team to watch and it’s coming along there’s it fits and starts you know this is young guys some nights they look great some nights they don’t but I mean I think I think we get upset about

Some of this stuff and I think there are people out there that go man these are just like a bunch of old men always complaining because we see the potential you and I Michael see the potential yeah we do and you know you brought up the

Lakers Lakers have won a title in the last five years you can call what you you call it what you want you can call the bubble title a fake title it’s still an NBA title because LeBron James basically yeah you know showed up at their doorstep and they had to literally

Zero to do with it because it was like uh hey we’re the Lakers and this is La so come here agreed and yeah we I just I want to be I want to win a title you know that that’s that’s the only thing that I care about you know I’m trying to

You know see I don’t know how the phrase goes see the Forest through the trees or whatever however you want to say it yes I agree you know youth is fine they struggle on nights I you know I want to see them take the next step and they

Didn’t do it today but maybe they’ll do it God what is it today Thursday tomorrow they have a game tomorrow very exciting and just a quick second and I I don’t know what’s going to happen by the time some people see this but Robin Lopez and Joe Harris got bought out um

The Rockets have good money to spend on buyouts you’d hope they’d grab somebody and finally quit completely wasting a roster spot on bobon bomo probably a better option as a big but Lopez at least is out there there are two veteran guys out there is what I’m saying Lopez

And I would take either one of them over the wasted roster spot of ban right now yeah and and I love ban I got to interview boban the nicest guy in the world but he’s a wasted roster spot we’re on the same page would love Joe Harris um you know I’m a little

Surprised that Reggie Bullock’s signing hasn’t worked out better I just he’s not getting enough minutes I think it’s his problem I also think he’s lost the step Robin Lopez he’s I mean you and I are are better options than jock Landell I I would like Robin Lopez on this team for

The rest of the year I’m excited for Stephen Adams next year if he can come back healthy um so all in all it’s another day in Rockets Nation the sun will rise tomorrow and we’ll see how the rest of the season goes I just want to

See him make the playoffs that that’s my ultimate goal get to the playoffs what was it last year a seven and an eight SE both made it to Conference Finals if I remember that right I think it was Lakers and the heat both that respect seven and eight seeds I’m not saying

That’s the Rockets this year but I’m saying you can’t get to the dance if you’re not invited to the dance remind everybody about your content man thank you so much first of all awesome show with you always uh if you guys want to check out the kiss of death podcast

On uh X you can find us at Rockets FSN follow me at Mike br2020 over at kiss of Dad we do a show after every single Rockets game preseason regular season and postseason and publish it the same night so a lot of great content with my partner Jeremy brener at Jeremy brener

On X as well and myself hey thanks a bunch and everybody out there what do you think let us know get in the comments we want to hear from you thanks man you’re listening to Houston Sports Talk hey don’t forget to support us by subscribing and commenting on YouTube

You can always listen to us on Spotify apple or your favorite podcast app tell your friends about us and share our Show links on social media spread the word everybody thanks for [Applause] Listening oh

Host Robert Land asks Kiss of Death podcast Host Michael Brown what he thought of the Rockets doing nothing at the NBA Trade Deadline. Will Rafael Stone & Udoka relationship last much longer? We look at a potential riff & what the Rockets could’ve done to improve the team.

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#rockets #nbatradedeadline #imeudoka #alperensengun #jalengreen #camwhitmore #amenthompson #jabarismith #tarieason

24 Comments

  1. Mr Land you seem to be very naive when it comes to the rockets. This team needs to make some changes. I think they made a huge mistake staying put at the trade deadline.

  2. I agree with both sides Jasean Tate needed to be dealt. At the same time I feel C.Whitmore,J, Green, A, Thompson, A,Seguine, T, Eason, are untouchable J, Smith is idk give him one more year I guess but I don't understand how everyone on J Green and how he was #2 pick j, smith was a#3 pick in he hasn't shown near as much as Green sorry And Whitmore a Super star him and A.Segune are 1 and 2 then Greens are#3 and A, Thompson will be a All-star PG sooner then we think

  3. We already saw stars not want to come here last season that’s how we ended up with jock landale trash ass, idk how the FO think it’s smart that stone is sitting on his hands again hoping for a disgruntled star. Wtf is the difference to star players this year? We win 10 more games now suddenly they wanna come to Houston? GTFOH this team is going nowhere until stone is gone. If we got a back up big last post season like we should’ve we could’ve focused on shooting at this deadline. Waste of a season stone should not have a job this shit is trash.

  4. Michael brown was spitting fax, too many of y’all are all excited that we’ve won more than last year stfu. Ime & stone gave us these high expectations fans aren’t making it up out of nowhere they said playoffs/playin not us.

  5. If the fans or media determined who we traded, we would suck. Leave it to the professionals and don’t let it get to you. Too much negativity that affects the players.

  6. Trading Jalen Would been a mistake. He's had 30 + 30 point games, and 5 + 40 point games in career.
    Sengun ONLY has 12 30 point games and 0 40 point games in his career including this year.
    He is a study drop of water. It's just too many holes in his game. He's not the Joker because that guy doesn't clog the paint and can space the floor. People get caught up in everything but the truth. THE TRUTH IS IN THE PLAYOFFS YOU PACK THE PAINT AND YOU EFFECTIVELY NEUTRALIZED SENGUN

  7. Joel Embid drop 70 points against the Spurs. Of what we know it's fair to say Sengun will never drop 70 points in his entire career BECAUSE HE'S NOT A FRANCHISE GUY!!!!

  8. They're going to let both JG & Sengun hit the free agency and match their offers. That way ones not prioritized over the other Problem solved

  9. They should have trade Sengun while value is high, Sengun can’t be the best player on the team when he can’t stretch the defense consistently, doesn’t provide adequate rim protection, undersized, and most of his pts are coming from the half court when have young athletic wings who can’t shoot and need to get out in transition. There is a premium on shooters, they are hard to come by and if you trade for one you will be over paying, that being said, more problems would be solved trading Sengun getting back rim/protector/stretch big and a shooter, now we would have an identity, play fast, and get out in transition. This team is not built for an offensive hub like a Sengun/like a Sabonis, hell even like a Jokic

  10. yeah, Bob Meyers is the guy–9:00 mark.He blew the second pick in the golden state draft by picking Wiseman. Cam Whitmore is "cerebral?" 17:00 mark. Mike Brown is a off the charts colicky drama queen

  11. Jalen Green, Tari Eason and 2-3 first round picks for Mikal Bridges is too short sighted, that's how you get stuck in mediocre, Bridges is most likely 3rd best players on championship team, maybe a slight chance to be 2nd, he's Jrue Holliday to the bucks, you trade for him when you have Giannis and Middleton in their prime, that's not whom you want to push most of your chips to the table right now, plus Tari's impact on the game in his second season is tremendous, I can see him close to the level of Bridges in 3-5 years, certainly on defensive level

  12. One thing I like Mike Brown is saying, is that the team just does not fit. Sengun is offensive and likes to setup, whereas everyone else is fast pace.

  13. There are teams that would love to have our players. Except Dillon!
    Ime just got here and needs fix mess Silas left behind. He didn’t develop any of the players while he was here.

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