Rockets General Manager Rafael Stone Extended with Multiyear Contract

Houston’s general manager was granted a multiyear extension on Tuesday.

Jan 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone (right) talks with / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Rafael Stone, the general manager and architect of the most recent iteration of the Houston Rockets, was extended on a multiyear deal Tuesday, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Promoted to GM in 2020 via the departure of Daryl Morey for Philadelphia, Stone has drafted players like Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Cam Whitmore, among others. He was thrust into a sticky situation with the immediate trade request of star James Harden, but made the most of it, trading the former MVP for a host of picks and helping Houston to improve down the line.

In addition to his already-strong draft record, he was instrumental in the signings Ime Udoka as head coach, and veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks last summer.

For his efforts, the 2023-24 Rockets rewarded Stone with a 41-41 record, a 19-win improvement from last season. 

Stone will move forward with an interesting dynamic surrounding the Rockets. They’re half-built with youth via Thompson, Green, Smith, Whitmore and Sengun all 22 or younger. But the costly veterans eat into a decent chunk of their starter minutes, too.

Even more, their pieces don’t fit flawlessly on paper just yet, with multiple guards and front court pieces vying for more playing time.

Still, there’s no denying he’s amassed a wealth of talent in his short tenure with the team, which should work itself out in due time.

The team now looks to the 2024 NBA Draft, where they’ll likely select at either No. 9 or No. 10 via the Brooklyn Nets’ first round pick.

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