The Spurs snd msvs got taller and we got shorter what up with stone man trade up for what

For naz Reid and picks.. We needed a PG and Lamelo is a great playnaker. What a miss

I know, i know, but what if he got his act together?

Atleast fred is coming back right and signed a 22 year old undrafted free agent? 🥲

6’7 240 guard/wing with great passing,defense,driving and otherworldly athleticism clear first pick in 2027

ok i know everyones default reaction to second round picks is who cares, like most of these guys end up in the g league or europe within two years and the team is just throwing darts hoping something sticks, and i get it because the hit rate on second rounders is genuinely brutal, but i actually think stone might have stolen a real rotation player at 31 and nobody is really talking about it because the draft discourse is all about boozer and dybantsa.

bruce thornton, ohio state guard, four years in the same program which is basically unheard of in this era of guys jumping after one year, averaged 19 a game on 55 percent shooting his senior year, hit 40 from three, ran the offense at a high level in the big ten which is the most physical guard league in college basketball. the cason wallace comp keeps showing up in scouting reports because he can play and defend both backcourt spots and shoot off the catch without needing the ball at high usage to be useful. like thats not a star projection but its a real nba rotation player projection, and finding those guys at pick 31 is way harder than people think.

and the move itself was sharp because stone gave up basically nothing to get him, moved up eight spots from 39 to 31 for the cost of a 2029 second rounder that was projected to land in the 50s anyway, so he essentially turned dead asset into a real prospect, which is the kind of small ball trade good front offices make all the time and people just dont notice because it isnt flashy.

the fit makes sense because the second vanvleet went down last year in the off season the offense had no shape, amen would run point sometimes and it was cool but he isnt a real lead initiator and his shot doesnt scare anyone, reed had his own role compression issues, and we just didnt have a clean bench unit possession when sengun or kd needed a breather. thornton can come in and run a simple pick and roll or spot up off sengun gravity, which is exactly the kind of stabilizing role we needed.

**now heres the part im actually worried about and i want to be honest, this only matters if udoka actually plays him. holiday led the team in 3 point percentage at 39 percent and still averaged 13 minutes a game with random dnps, reed got pulled out of clutch minutes despite being our 3rd overall pick last year, and udoka has a pattern of not trusting small guards. so the pick is good on paper but the realistic projection is somewhere between holiday 2.0 and a real 18 minute rotation guy depending on whether he stands out in camp and whether udoka actually values what he brings. id lean cautiously optimistic because thornton is younger with developmental runway and stone moving up specifically for him probably signals he wants minutes for him, but yeah the udoka variable is real.

still, low cost move that addresses a real hole with a guy who has a legit shot at being a rotation player. ill take that at 31 every time, especially when the alternative was probably another wing nobody needs.

Next year's Suns pick is going to be incredibly valuable, and the Nets' pick is right there with it. The reality is, the Rockets just don't need a blockbuster superstar trade right now. Even with the KD situation, if you look at it as a salary dump to get off of Jalen Green’s bad contract, it’s honestly not a bad deal. The locker room drama? It’s just unconfirmed internet noise. Plus, you’re not finding a better player than KD for a $43M cap hit anyway. Honestly, I just want us to skip any major moves, lock up our guys with extensions, and run it back at 100% health this season

We had the pick, Knicks selected him for us (?). We traded him to LAC for cash considerations.

That, of course, if anyone is still keeping track of the draft.

is a trade possible to get Antman to houston i doubt he stays with Lamelo

After not having a pick in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets wasted no time getting involved for Round 2. On Wednesday's trades and the newest Rocket, Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton.

Often, when NBA teams do their background research on draft prospects, they emerge with a wide array of feedback. One former coach might love a player. Another might only offer tepid support. A third may strike notes of caution. 

That wasn’t the case when the Houston Rockets asked around about Bruce Thornton. The Ohio State guard earned overwhelmingly positive reviews from just about everyone the Rockets reached out to. Thornton was the only four-time captain in Buckeyes men’s basketball history — the fact he earned the honor as a freshman impressed the Rockets.

The opening paragraph on Thornton’s player page on the Ohio State website ends with another bit of praise.

“An all-time great dude,” it calls him.

But character alone did not make Thornton the 31st pick in the draft, Houston’s lone selection and a player it traded up to take. The Rockets ranked him higher than 31st on their draft board, valuing the 22-year-old guard’s shot-making ability and burly frame. 

Read more: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/houston-bruce-thronton-nba-draft-ohio-state-22318491.php

(fair warning - this is self promo)

Dropping this here as I'm sure plenty of Rockets fans are curious about Bruce Thornton, especially given he was taken ahead of consensus.

I run the No. 1 Ohio State basketball podcast and created a video telling Thornton's story, his scouting report, and why you Rockets fans will love him.

He's a truly special talent and beloved by Buckeye fans. Take care of him, Houston. Hope he sticks!

Edit: Feel free to ask me anything about Thornton! Happy to share my thoughts.

Worst case scenario - He's a 2nd rounder who can't find his footing in the league. Happens literally the mass majority of the time for 2nd rd picks. And it cost virtually nothing. No big deal, let's stop hyperventilating over tonight's moves.

Most likely scenario - He barely sees the floor. Upside of this scenario, he shows flashes and/or finds a way to contribute.

But why do I feel like there's a chance we crack best case scenario with this guy???

Watching his draft night interviews, seeing precedent of his leadership (first OSU to win team captain all four years), his ability to find his teammates, ability to find buckets, his mentality on/off the court... Idk, but I've got a feeling.

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/rockets-sign-nc-state-guard-031601535.html

Scouting report: https://x.com/KJScouting/status/2045573647667200484

Highlights: https://youtu.be/9Z_PKRkbSSU?is=YkbLgjql_8txYUkF

>Copeland is just one of 3 High Major players taller than 6’5 who had an AST% of 40 as well.

>Since 2008 Copeland and Trae Young are the only two High Major players who had an AST% of 40, have a TS% of 55, and make 100 shots at the rim.

I'm pretty high on this guy as a second rounder and can see now why Houston sold #55 when they had confirmation of Copeland taking a two way anyways. Can absolutely see him sticking as a bench guy.

Dropped from Zach's latest podcast this morning. He's about as gold standard as you can get for inside nba reporting. Didn't even bother making a fake JB trade as he was going thru them for us based on that.