Rockets are wise to rule out Jimmy Butler addition

Following that report, Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone quickly distanced his team from a move for Butler. Stone made his comments during an interview with Justin Termine on Sirius XM NBA Radio. 

“I mean, of course, my job is to be open to everything, so I'm not going to not do my job,” Stone said. “We like this team. You know, we definitely do not intend to change anything. And I would be shocked if something changes this season. You know, we like where we're at. We want to continue to develop our guys, you know, and full stop, and will I listen to other teams? Of course, I will. That's my job, you know.”

Houston's young roster has shown considerable growth under Ime Udoka. Alperen Sengun is flirting with his first All-Star appearance, while Jalen Green and Tari Eason have both taken significant steps forward in their development. 

The Rockets are currently third in the Western Conference, having won 16 of their 24 games thus far. Given the amount of young talent at their disposal, there's belief that they can continue improving, both in the immediate and the near future. As such, it's wise for the front office to resist trading for an established star, at least until they see what the current roster is capable of when fully developed. 

Butler doesn't fit Houston's timeline, and adding him would be a short-sighted move. The Rockets are smart to rule themselves out of the running. After all, they have the trade pieces to pursue a young star if the need arises. For now, though, they're developing their team the right way and reaping the rewards for their patience.