Houston Rockets' GM makes team's direction painfully obvious

The Houston Rockets have developed a lot of talent over the past few years.

They brought in a staggering number of first-round picks over the last half-decade. Some stuck, and others didn't. That's the volatile nature of the NBA draft. Now, the Rockets have whittled their group down to 5 young guys and a group of savvy veterans. Here's what's clear:

This is no longer a developmental team.

If a young player is on this roster, it's because the Rockets think they're ready to contribute. They're done sparing developmental reps for young players with untapped potential:

If you don't believe me, ask Rafael Stone.

Rockets GM gives clear indication of team's priorities

"I just think we're not a developmental team anymore."

-Rafael Stone, Houston Rockets GM

Over the years, Stone has been accused of being cryptic. He's certainly well-versed in lawyer-speak. Stone can say one hundred words without giving you any discernible information.

So, his frankness here speaks volumes.

The Rockets are no longer a developmental team. The general manager has said so in no uncertain terms.

What does that mean for the organization moving forward?

Rockets have an eye on the championship

There have already been significant implications.

Jalen Green is out. The Rockets got a four-year sample size of the young guard's play. It seems they decided that his inability to enhance the team's play was an indictment. Every available on/off metric indicates that Green doesn't help the team how you'd like a superstar to help.

So is Cam Whitmore. The situation there is different. Green got a significant runway in Houston. Whitmore arguably didn't get a fair shake. He's got potential:

However, the Rockets no longer care about potential.

At least, they aren't prioritizing it over the present. This team officially cares about winning an NBA championship. That's why they flipped Green (and more) for Kevin Durant. It's why they practically gave Whitmore away to make room for Dorian Finney-Smith in the rotation. It's winning time in Space City.

Some Rockets fans aren't pleased. They wanted the team to commit to a young core. That's a valid perspective, but the Rockets were never going to invest in a "core 7". Who makes a meaningful investment in their seventh man?

The Rockets were always going to cull. They were going to identify the players they thought were keepers and move the rest. That's what they've done. The Rockets are still young:

But they're only interested in the young players they feel have already developed.