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May 4, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (middle left) and forward Tari Eason (middle right) hold towels on their faces during game seven of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Best Candidates for the Rockets' Fifth Starting Spot Amid Fred VanVleet's Absence

Originally posted on Houston Rockets on SI | By Jed Katz | Last updated Oct 3, 2025 1:46 PM ET

The Houston Rockets find themselves in a bit of a dilemma as the preseason kicks off and training camp is underway. While the team has legitimate title hopes after a flurry of moves this summer, highlighted by a trade for Kevin Durant, the Rockets will have a major hole at point guard.

Veteran floor general Fred VanVleet suffered a torn ACL before the start of training camp, which means he will likely miss the entire 2025-26 season. The 31-year-old averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists last season. In the playoffs, he came up clutch for Houston, putting up 18.7 points, 4.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game and recording multiple 20-point performances.

With VanVleet out, Houston will lack significantly in the playmaking department, which will force players like Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard and Aaron Holiday to step up as playmakers. However, the bigger question is who will be the fifth starter.

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said that the team has four players who are most likely guaranteed to start. Those players are believed to be Durant, Thompson, Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr., leaving one spot up for grabs.

I asked Ime Udoka with the injury to Fred and the depth especially in the front court will the starting lineup be more fluid based on matchups or a consistent five.

“ For the most part we have four guys penciled in and we’ll figure out what to with the fifth.” pic.twitter.com/FbJPaKKILf
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) October 2, 2025

Houston could go many different directions regarding the starting lineup, but it's also important to note that Dorian Finney-Smith will miss the start of the season after having ankle surgery early in the offseason. Here are the candidates for the final starting spot:

Tari Eason

Eason stepped up as a major two-way contributor last season. As the Rockets soared to 52 wins and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, the forward averaged 12 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. He also managed to shoot 48.7% from the field.

The 6-foot-8 wing could be inserted into the starting lineup to emphasize defense alongside Thompson. The offense may lack a bit with him as VanVleet's replacement, but the other side of the ball would look even more elite.

Reed Sheppard

Sheppard is the most obvious candidate to step up in VanVleet's absence. The Rockets are banking on major improvement after a rookie season with limited opportunities. The second-year guard averaged just 4.4 points and 1.5 rebounds per game on poor efficiency.

If Sheppard can show flashes of his time at Kentucky and step up as not only an offensive talent but a perimeter defender, it may look like nothing changed despite VanVleet's injury. Houston drafted him No. 3 overall due to his elite shooting and lockdown defense despite being 6-foot-2.

Steven Adams

The Rockets were particularly elite last season when using the double-big lineup. That has seemingly become a new wave in the modern NBA, with Adams having played alongside Sengun at points in the regular season and even the playoffs.

A lineup featuring Thompson, Durant, Smith, Sengun and Adams would be extremely tall, but it would be an interesting experiment. The defense would tower over opponents, but like a lineup with Eason, the offense may take a step back with the other side of the floor being on lockdown, particularly in the paint.

This article first appeared on Houston Rockets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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