After a third-straight year of disappointment, Rafael Stone could be dipped in the hot water should the Houston Rockets underperform again next season.
Per Kelly Iko, Shams Charania, and Sam Amick of The Athletic, the general manager’s future could be on the line depending on how the Rockets will perform in the upcoming 2023-24 season.
“It could be a make or break summer for [Stone],” a source told The Athletic.
Stone, as the team’s top executive, got a bold task to fulfill in the offseason. Upon parting ways with Stephen Silas, he has to find a solid coaching candidate that can help the team’s young core to take the next level. Having the best odds to land the top overall pick in the draft, he also has to be mindful and keen on capitalizing on this for the team’s future.
The franchise, possessing a large cap space of $60+ million in value, also demands a veteran presence in order to deliver a needed leap away from the rebuilding process. In other words, Stone truly got a heavy assignment to complete just for Houston to end its long drought since his takeover last 2020.
With all the buzz and rumors circulating around their camp after three years of mediocrity, the pressure is truly on for Stone to finally construct a Rockets team that is ready to take the next level.
