Houston Rockets are Going All In on Reed Sheppard in 2025-26

The Rockets have been the most active team in the NBA since the start of the 2025 offseason. They have made over ten transactions since falling to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

That includes bringing back players like Steven Adams and Jae'Sean Tate, working on new contracts for Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and even head coach Ime Udoka. Of course, the big move was the blockbuster trade that brought Kevin Durant to the team.

In that trade for Kevin Durant, the Rockets had to send out Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green to the Phoenix Suns. Trading Green meant the Rockets now have one less guard on the roster. Green wasn't just the Rockets' starting shooting guard and leading scorer, he was also the team's iron man, having not missed a game in the last two seasons.

Green departure leaves the Rockets with the possibility of going into the 2025-26 season with three guards as the Rockets also traded Cam Whitmore to the Washington Wizards. That means VanVleet, Aaron Holiday and Reed Sheppard, coming off his rookie season, will be the Rockets' guard rotation.

VanVleet is an NBA Champion and former All-Star who has experienced nearly every situation during his time in the NBA. Holiday is a seven-year veteran who has become a reliable backup for the Rockets over the last two seasons. Sheppard was the Rockets' third overall pick in the 2024 draft and is now expected to take on a bigger role next season.

Sheppard struggled in his first season as the speed of the game and the complexities of an NBA system take time for any rookie to get used to. Early in the season, when Sheppard did see playing time, he was hesitant when it came to taking shots and at times was a step slow on defense. That led to Sheppard's playing time decreasing throughout the season and Sheppard spending time in the G League.

One of the main reasons the Rockets drafted Sheppard was because of his 3-point shooting. Sheppard shot over 52 percent in his one season at Kentucky, and the Rockets hope that shooting will eventually translate to the NBA.

Sheppard shot only 33.8 percent from 3-point range and spent most of his time on the bench last season. With all the moves the Rockets made this offseason, the Rockets are hoping and expecting a big jump for Sheppard next season. Several Rockets spoke to the media Monday, including Sheppard and Rafael Stone, and the central theme was that a lot is expected of Sheppard next season.