Initially, Rafael Stone and the Rockets organization made public and private commitments to their developing young core. They emphasized that trading away these promising players for a superstar was not part of their strategy. However, circumstances shifted in recent weeks, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “I believe he wanted to have his young team grow, but something happened the last few weeks,” said Brian Windhorst. “Ime Udoka, who had him in his Brooklyn—Royal Ivey is on his staff—he was his teammate at Texas. He wanted him. He went to ownership and front office and said ‘Can we can get Kevin Durant? Get him.’”