From May 17, 2022: “If (teams) want to talk, I am always available to talk. If (NBA general managers) are interested in doing something, we are always available to listen. If there something that makes sense for both teams, then something will get done.”
Upon receiving the No. 3 overall selection in the 2022 NBA draft, general manager Rafael Stone made it clear that he wasn’t attached to any direction with his first-round draft pick. Since then, a barrage of discussion has ensued about the merits of Houston potentially trading up, trading back, or even trading out of the pick all together.