In his first efforts to determine what the Rockets need, coach Jeff Van Gundy has begun to study what they have. He has not seen enough, Van Gundy said Tuesday, to be satisfied his research is complete, or initiate major roster moves.

But as the Rockets head to the draft Thursday and free-agent negotiations next week, their coach completed his second week on the job by declaring the Rockets' rebuilding over.

As with so much about the Rockets, that begins in the backcourt of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley. Van Gundy met with Mobley on Thursday in Houston and Francis on Friday in Maryland. And after four up-and-down Rockets seasons, Van Gundy said the Rockets and their top scorers are ready to do more -- and should be.

"The pain of it was going through young players getting a chance to play," Van Gundy said. "They've gone through it, now. Now we have to take it through that step into winning. It's not anymore about building or being young or inexperienced.

"Really, like Steve and Cuttino, they're neither young nor inexperienced. They should be in their prime. They're both fully aware of the fact that to achieve any real significance in this league, no matter who you are, you have to win. You have to win, be it a coach or a player. I think right now is the time for them, going into their fifth and sixth years in this league, they're hitting their prime."