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Ime Udoka has already seen a sign Houston Rockets can be successful without Fred VanVleet

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Bergas Agung | Last updated Oct 4, 2025 4:30 PM ET

The Houston Rockets remain legitimate contenders for the new season despite shifting championship odds.

Their outlook changed when primary point guard Fred VanVleet suffered an Achilles injury that will sideline him for the entire campaign.

Without VanVleet, many analysts believe the Rockets will lack a primary ball handler and playmaker.

Backup options like Reed Sheppard or Aaron Holiday lack the experience to fill such a crucial role for a contending team.

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Ime Udoka references Houston Rockets’ good record without Fred VanVleet last season

Analysts have warned the Rockets not to repeat mistakes made by the Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves, who experienced declines after believing they could compete without dedicated point guards.

Trade proposals have emerged, with names like Payton Pritchard and recently Jrue Holiday suggested as potential solutions.

However, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka dismissed concerns about the situation, pointing to the team’s record during VanVleet’s absences last season.

“We did look at that. Fred missed 19 last year, and we went 11-and-8 in those games. And out of those 19 games, we had a fourth quarter lead in 17 of them,” Udoka explained.

“So it wasn’t just Fred, it was Amen, obviously, and Alpi [Sengun] and Jalen at times, and so they’ve had the practice with it, and that should bode well going forward.”

Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson emerge as primary candidates for increased responsibilities

The coach emphasized that multiple players have already demonstrated ability to handle playmaking responsibilities in VanVleet’s absence, providing organizational confidence about managing without their starting point guard.

Udoka didn’t hide his potential plans to increase Reed Sheppard’s responsibilities despite the sophomore entering only his second season.

Amen Thompson also represents a viable option as the Rockets’ new primary ball handler, though whether this constitutes an ideal situation remains to be determined through actual competition.

“Amen, Reed and others like I mentioned, we’ll look by committee and figure that out, but the fact that they have done it and we had some success without him last year should be a good thing,” Udoka concluded.

The coach approach suggests the Rockets plan to distribute playmaking duties rather than forcing one player into VanVleet’s role, leveraging their depth to maintain championship contention despite the significant injury setback.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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