There was a time the Rockets collected as much young talent as they could get in the hopes some would break out of the pack to be something greater. They believed at the time they did not have the luxury of concerning themselves with chemistry. They needed an infusion of talent.

As their 2016 offseason retooling winds down - pending the culmination of Donatas Motiejunas' free agency, one way or the other - the Rockets believe they have made a statement that they are seeking immediate success in the moves since the more significant moves to sign Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon.

Those additions were to bolster immediate needs for better shooting and came on the day the Rockets announced a $118 million extension agreement with James Harden. Those moves, especially the Harden extension, were very much about the team-building to come.

Veteran moves

Unable to sign a max contract free agent, the Rockets used that cap room to bump up Harden's salary by roughly $10 million in each of the next two seasons and lock him up for roughly $30 million in the following season, effectively spending $50 million to have him signed for at least three more seasons and to strengthen their next free-agency bargaining position.

The moves since to sign center Nene and guard Pablo Prigioni were not only for the short term, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said they indicate the priority that remains on next season.

Morey also pointed to young players he hopes will enjoy a breakthrough. But his primary moves since the free-agency whirlwind netted Anderson and Gordon to add the 39-year-old Prigioni and 14-year veteran Nene, known commodity veterans that will not be expected to grow into anything beyond what they have been, Morey believes will serve the immediate needs of the here and now.

"Both are still very effective players," Morey said. "We're pretty focused on doing well this year."

With the signings of Prigioni, Nene and upcoming deals with Gary Payton II, Kyle Wiltjer and Isaiah Taylor, most of the work heading into the season is complete, pending the resolution of Motiejunas' restricted free agency and the Rockets' hope to bring him back.

Other than negotiations with Motiejunas, most of the summer retooling is likely over. Morey described the chances of a trade as remote.

"Nobody really is (active in trade talks)," he said. "Even if we wanted to be, it wouldn't matter."

Asked if this is likely the team the Rockets will bring into camp, Morey said, "I think it's a good chance."

The trend of the Rockets' offseason has been to add the sort of steady professionals and locker room leaders that could help prevent the sort of disharmony that short-circuited last season. But they also have guards, Pat Beverley and Gordon, and could retain Motiejunas, who have all had durability issues.

Morey, however, said any concerns about the injury histories of several players on the Rockets' roster would make a case for the additions of veterans Nene and Prigioni.

"That argues for it," Morey said. "It would be different if they were late-career and not very effective. They're both extremely effective players still.

"If you argue we have potential injuries ahead of them and it made more sense to not have them, I would say that argues more for them if pressed into service. Nene is going to play for sure. Pablo, I think will be someone who the minutes will be less predictable. But having folks that have had some injury history in the past I think argues more for having someone who is ready to play and still effective."

Building chemistry

Still, he carefully choses players who will accept whatever role they are given. As much as the tensions, usually unspoken, between Harden and Dwight Howard were shared by teammates sharing the locker room and the court, the Rockets hope their summer retooling will erase and prevent those issues.

"I definitely feel like we have been very focused on chemistry the last two years, bringing the entire team back last year and then this year, we definitely wanted to bring in players with a very positive approach," Morey said. "I think that's something that could benefit us."

Still, he has not abandoned the hope that someone among his young players can have a breakthrough season. In addition to the rookies with partial guaranteed contracts - Wiltjer, Payton II and Taylor - K.J. McDaniels, Montrezl Harrell, Sam Dekker and second-round pick Chinanu Onuaku all have played fewer than 100 NBA games.

"We still have very high-upside players - K.J., Dekker, Nanu, Wiltjer, Payton, Harrell," Morey said. "I'd say we have a good mix of veterans and young players."

Mostly, after the two top-priority signings announced on the day the Rockets signed Harden to a long-term extension, the Rockets turned to veterans Morey hopes will bring what they will need if they play regularly and even if they don't.