I'm Rachel Nichols.

我是瑞秋-尼古拉斯

Still here with George Sadan O'Brien Win horse.

還在這裡和喬治-薩丹-奧布萊恩溫馬。

Let's talk about the Houston Rockets.

我們來談談休斯頓火箭隊。

New general manager Rafael Stone expressed a lot of confidence in his team in a chat with the Houston Chronicle over the weekend.

新任總經理拉斐爾-斯通在週末與《休斯頓紀事報》的哈拉中表示對球隊很有信心。

Here's the quote.

這是引言。

We are still all in.

我們還是全盤托出。

Our goal is to win a championship, will do anything we can to get us closer to that goal.

我們的目標是贏得冠軍，會盡一切可能讓我們更接近這個目標。

So, George, do you believe him and you share his confidence in the Rockets?

那麼，喬治，你相信他，你也和他一樣對火箭隊充滿信心嗎？

Well, I believe him because they don't have very many draft picks available to them, at least not this season and next season.

好吧，我相信他，因為他們沒有太多的選秀權，至少本賽季和下賽季沒有。

I believe I believe the next time they have their pick is 2022 so I think because of that he has no other choice.

我相信我相信下一次他們的選秀時間是2022年，所以我認為因為這一點，他沒有其他選擇。

But I do believe that they'll be in the mix.

但我相信，他們會在其中。

I think there are top five seeds still in the Western Conference, so because of that, I think they've got a chance.

我認為西部聯盟還有前五名的種子，所以正因為如此，我認為他們有機會。

But he may have toe make a big trade.

但他可能要做一筆大交易。

I think, to kinda augment that particular roster to really kind of cement them in that championship caliber level.

我認為，要有點增強那個特定的名冊，以真正鞏固他們的冠軍水準。

I think the interesting part about this interview guys was that he was very clear about spending into the luxury tax, that he was gonna have the ability to spend the mid level exception into the luxury tax.

我覺得這次採訪夥計們有趣的部分是，他對花錢進奢侈稅的問題非常明確，他要有能力把中級例外花錢進奢侈稅。

And that's an important message, not just for the Rocket fans.

而這是一個重要的資訊，不僅僅是對火箭球迷而言。

That's an important message for James Harden, because the person he's pretty much got to sell on the short term future of this team is James Harden.

這對詹姆斯-哈登來說是一個重要的資訊，因為他幾乎要賣力的人就是詹姆斯-哈登，這支球隊的短期未來。

And because Harden has seen a lot of change and not all of it looks so positive, quite frankly, over the last couple of years.

而因為哈登在過去幾年中看到了很多變化，而且坦率地說，並不是所有的變化都顯得那麼積極。

And you know, the Rockets have, you know, a good roster, no doubt.

而且你知道，火箭隊有，你知道，一個好的陣容，毫無疑問。

But their roster is thin, and they need some more support on that roster.

但他們的陣容很單薄，他們需要在這個陣容上多一些支持。

But they're so close to the luxury tax something that they have avoided when it comes to spending the mid level exception that they have used draft picks to offload salary the last two years.

但他們離奢侈稅的東西太近了，他們在花費中級特例時避免了奢侈稅，以至於過去兩年他們用選秀權來卸載工資。

And so, look, I'm willing to believe Tilman Fertitta, the owner, and Rafael Stone, the general manager, that they are going to spend add to this roster.

所以，聽著，我願意相信老闆蒂爾曼-費蒂塔和總經理拉斐爾-斯通，他們會花錢增加這個名冊。

But I'll wait and see, and I'm probably not the only one who's gonna be watching well, haven't we heard Tilman Fertitta to say before Brian that he's more than willing happy to go into the luxury tax will do anything that it takes to win?

但我會拭目以待，我可能不是唯一一個要看好的人，我們不是已經聽到蒂爾曼-費蒂塔在布萊恩面前說，他更願意樂於進入奢侈稅將做任何事情，它需要贏得？

And yet we have seen moves made right before the deadline that gets them just under to a point where it's sure hard to believe that's not purposeful.

然而我們已經看到了在截止日期前做出的舉動，讓他們只是在一個點上，肯定很難相信這不是有目的的。

Where are you on that right now with this iteration?

你現在這個迭代在哪裡？

Do you think that maybe the urgency of James Harden situation has caused a change of heart there?

你認為，詹姆斯-哈登情況的緊迫性或許讓那裡發生了變化嗎？

Well, I think James Harden is probably on board with everything that goes on that organization for the moment.

好吧，我想詹姆斯-哈登可能會對那個組織目前的一切情況都很滿意。

But look, it's fragile, and I'm just gonna say that, you know?

但你看，它是脆弱的，我只是想說，你知道嗎？

Tillman gave a strange interview interview a year ago when he said he didn't even know how they got into the luxury tax that he happened by some sort of miracle.

蒂爾曼在一年前接受了一次奇怪的採訪，當時他說他甚至不知道他們是如何進入奢侈稅的，他發生了某種奇蹟。

When there are more made like three or four trades on Deadline day to get underneath it and like, Look, I'm not arguing, but you have to be a taxpaying team to be a contender.

當有更多的做出像三或四個交易在截止日得到下它和喜歡，你看，我不是爭論，但你必須是一個納稅的球隊是一個競爭者。

The Lakers just won a championship without paying the tax, but it goes to where you are as an organization, and they just swapped out their coach and swapped out their general manager and hired people who make vastly less money back to back years after avoiding the tax.

湖人隊剛拿了個總冠軍，沒有交稅，但是這就涉及到你這個組織的位置，他們剛剛換掉了教練，換掉了總經理，在避開稅收後連續幾年僱傭了收入大大降低的人。

So I just think, you know, I think that message is out there and we'll just see what they do.

所以，我只是覺得，你知道，我認為這個消息是在那裡，我們將看到他們做什麼。

And, you know, in three weeks, if they've spent their mid level on their into the tax, I'll say, Wow, they really are super invested in this roster.

而且，你知道，在三個星期內，如果他們已經花了他們的中層對他們的進稅，我會說，哇，他們真的是超級投資在這個名冊。

Alright, So George, you just heard Brian say that they've got talent, but they're thin.

好吧，喬治，你剛才聽到布萊恩說 他們有天賦，但他們是薄。

We know that they don't have a ton of size on that roster.

我們知道，他們在那份名單上沒有一噸的尺寸。

Where do you see George?

你在哪裡看到喬治？

The Rockets stacking up with the rest of the Western Conference elite again?

火箭隊又和其他西決精英堆積在一起了？

I got them about the fifth or succeed, right?

我得到了他們約第五或成功，對不對？

It just depends like you look at the Lakers.

只是要看像你看湖人隊的情況。

You look at the Clippers.

你看快船隊。

You look at the Nuggets, right?

你看看掘金隊吧？

You look at the Warriors.

你看勇士隊。

I would have them all ahead of the Rockets at this point.

在這一點上，我會讓他們全部領先於火箭隊。

To me, it's like they're battling with the Mavs and the Blazers for that fifth spot at this particular point.

在我看來，他們就像是在和小牛隊和開拓者隊爭奪第五個位置，在這個特殊的時刻。

Unless they make a move.

除非他們有所行動。

If they make a move and they add someone significant to this roster, then maybe that changes some.

如果他們採取了行動，並且他們在這個名單上增加了一個重要的人，那麼也許會改變一些。

I mean, the Western Conference is going to be, and I love that.

我的意思是，西部聯盟將是，我喜歡這樣。

We got to say this going into last season and we get to say it again.

上個賽季我們就得這麼說，現在我們又得這麼說。

So competitive.

競爭如此激烈。

You look up and down and there aren't teams really that are expecting toe lose the way we have seen a chunk of those in previous years.

你看上上下下，還真沒有哪支球隊像我們前幾年看到的那些大塊頭一樣，期望趾高氣揚地輸掉。

Brian, Where do you put the Rockets in the West?

布萊恩，你把火箭隊放在西部的哪裡？

Well, they finished tied for fourth last season.

好吧，他們上賽季的成績是並列第四。

They three way tie for fourth.

他們三路並列第四。

Now they got the four seats.

現在他們得到了四個席位。

That was good, but the Warriors air coming in.

這是好的，但勇士隊的空氣來。

And you know, you could argue that if if you're fighting for fifth or sixth, maybe you shouldn't spend into the luxury tax.

你知道，你可以說，如果你要爭取第五或第六，也許你不應該花到奢侈稅。

Maybe that you should try to make the best of what you have.

也許你應該嘗試讓你所擁有的東西發揮到極致。

And that's why I wonder.

這就是為什麼我想知道。

You know where James Harden is with the direction of the franchise.

你知道詹姆斯-哈登的加盟方向是什麼嗎？

But they have the things that are the hardest thing to get, and that's a franchise superstar player, and he's in his prime, and there's no reason not for him to keep going forward.

但是他們有最難得到的東西，那就是一個加盟的超級明星球員，他正處於巔峰期，他沒有理由不繼續前進。

uh, we'll see how it goes.

呃，我們將看到它如何去。

Rachel, You know what I think they need to do.

瑞秋，你知道我認為他們需要做什麼。

And I think there are certain teams that know how to take advantage of this.

而且我認為有某些球隊知道如何利用這一點。

Is mining the G league right and scouting everything?

挖掘G聯賽是對的，偵察一切？

I mean, if you're a team that's gonna be, in theory, cash strapped, right, or at least has shown a propensity to be that in the past not going over the luxury tax, you need to mind the G League.

我的意思是，如果你是一支球隊，在理論上，現金緊張，對吧，或者至少已經顯示出傾向性，在過去不超過奢侈稅，你需要注意G聯賽。

Look at Toronto.

看看多倫多。

Look at Miami.

看看邁阿密。

Look at what San Antonio is done over the years.

看看聖安東尼奧這些年的表現。

Those teams are not necessarily high profile.

那些團隊不一定是高調的。

We're going to spend whatever it takes to win franchises.

我們要不惜一切代價贏得特許經營權。

They have in moments, right?

他們有在瞬間，對不對？

But for the most part, they're fiscally responsible.

但在大多數情況下，他們在財政上是負責任的。

But what they do is they develop talent and the Rockets need to go that route.

但他們做的是培養人才，火箭隊需要走這條路。

They've done it with Daniel House.

他們已經和丹尼爾-豪斯做了。

They need to do more of that.

他們需要做更多的事情。

Well, it's interesting.

嗯，這很有趣。

Do you know who used to be really good at that?

你知道誰以前很厲害嗎？

Darrell Moore, Moore A.

Darrell Moore, Moore A.

That guy.

那個人

What happened to that guy?

那個人怎麼了？

Just pointing that out.

只是指出這一點。