Stone/Udoka end of season press conference thread

Stone: The season was frustrating and disappointing. We expected to win more games in the regular season and more games in the playoffs than we did. I understand we took a lot of injuries. … Disappointment is felt everywhere.

Can you compete at the top of the west with tweaks or big moves?

We’ll look at everything and all potential deals. We think the players in our locker room can win a lot of games and be competitive. We have players coming back, they’ll help us, if we bring back largely the same group, continuity will help us but Tari/Jabari/Reed/Alpi/Amen need to be way better basketball players next year. I expect that growth.

Do you feel your roster is good enough if everyone is healthy?

Udoka: Absolutely. … As is constructed, we feel we should’ve won more than 52, should’ve won the 1st round series. Interesting to see us whole and healthy. Even with what we had, should’ve done better.

When you make a move like Durant, seems like you’re looking for more than compete?

Stone: No. There’s no trade or draft pick I can make that’ll guarantee a championship. You have to compete. The goal is put a roster in place to compete for a championship. Doesn’t mean if you don’t make the Finals you failed. You want one that can compete. Not once did I say it was championship or bust. That’s not our attitude. We thought he could be a wonderful example to the young guys how to work and hone your craft. He did a good job of that. That’s the thought process.

With Tari and Amen, are you interested in extending?

Stone: I don’t talk about contracts. As players, enormous part of what we’ve done and will be part of our future. Extremely high on both.

Understanding on DFS timetable? Were you surprised?

Yeah I was and he was too. Slower process than anyone wanted.

Expect to go into repeater tax?

Stone: We won’t be in the repeater. That doesn’t apply to us. We’ll see. The roster, we’ll likely will be. I don’t see Tilman ever wanting to take a step back that isn’t strategic. I have the best owner in sports. His goals are aligned with mine. He’s provided an amazing amount of support.

Any concerns about Fred & Steven?

Stone: Always concerns coming off surgery because you don’t know. Big difference is DFS surgery was postseason. Fred’s was 8 months ago and Steven 3-4 months ago. They have the luxury of…his timeline was to be preseason and extended. When it bled, it hampered him. They’re not young guys. We aren’t completely dependent on them. It’s much more our young guys need to improve. You need to come back better than you were at the end. That’s where we’re looking for improvement. We expect complete recoveries but even if it bleeds a little bit, if the rest of the team does what they should, we should be in good place?

Changes to offensive structure or coaching staff?

Udoka: … Having guys back should help the offensive structure. In totality of guys we get back, should be able to close out the games. It’ll be exciting to see. Coaching staff wise, don’t see any changes.

 

Not having Fred, is that something you identify as a target, someone who can do that along side him?

Stone: No. We don’t need someone alongside Fred. Behind him? Maybe? We were effective this year when Amen was on the court. We weren’t as skilled as I would have liked. When Amen/Reed were in together, it was better. Fred is like Amen, he can play with Reed, with Amen, or all 3. Fred coming back would add a lot. The issue is I don’t believe in going to get a point guard because they’re a point guard. I’d rather cobble it together. … Sitting here today, we would like to be more skilled, better shooting, without giving up defense and rebounding. If you can’t, we’ll have to make hard decisions around the margins.