The first day of the NBA's free agent window is basically over, and with the dust settles on George's whereabouts, the biggest suspense of the offseason is basically over. The Houston Rockets, who are much watched and loved by fans, have not made any moves, and general manager Stone believes that holding on is another way to reinforce.
In fact, last season, the Houston Rockets seemed to have found the secret to their winnings and went on a winning streak in March. Jalen Green and Shin Kyung have been able to play as quasi-All-Stars, and Ethan, Whitmore, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith have also made great strides. If it weren't for some referees to get in the way, and the lack of game experience of young players, some games that could have been won ended in regretful failure.
After entering the offseason, head coach Udoka and general manager Stone re-examined the team, believing that the team is no longer lacking in talent and athleticism, so the focus of reinforcement is still to improve the team's projection ability; So, we can see that the Houston Rockets used the third pick in the draft to select guard Reed Shepherd from the University of Kentucky. And with the poor quality of rookies in the second round, Stone made a decisive move, trading back to the Atlanta Hawks' 3-and-D forward AJ Griffin with just a No. 44 pick.
In this way, the Rockets' weaknesses were further compensated, and Udoka's team tended to perfection. But Stone is not a manager who likes to rest on his laurels, and as long as there is a suitable way to strengthen it, the Rockets will never give up. According to a report from The Athletic Rockets reporter Kelly Iko, multiple sources have revealed that the Rockets are considering a trade where Stone wants to take the Jazz's All-Star forward Markkanen.
Markkanen has a well-rounded technique, versatile attack, stable shooting skills, the ability to open up the game and solve problems in singles, and has a big heart; If he can join, he can undoubtedly improve the combat effectiveness of the rocket. Markkanen currently has the final year of his contract remaining, averaging 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2 assists per game in the regular season last season.