Josh Okogie Could Be Consistent Rotation Player for Rockets Moving Forward

At this point, everyone knows how hampered the Houston Rockets are in terms of their guard depth. With Fred VanVleet out for the season with a torn ACL, the Rockets were already thin in the backcourt before the injury. This nearly depletes them of true guards.

However, the season opener proved that Houston could still hang with the best teams in the league, sending its game against the Oklahoma City Thunder into double overtime. The Rockets would end up falling short in a 125-124 loss, but there was still a lot to like in this game. It didn't truly feel like a loss with how the team performed against the defending champions.

The Rockets still found some offense in the backcourt despite VanVleet being out. Ime Udoka trotted out one of the tallest starting lineups in NBA history, putting Amen Thompson and Kevin Durant at the guard spots.

Off the bench, height wasn't the main feature for Houston. Reed Sheppard struggled a bit as the primary ball handler outside of the starting lineup, while Josh Okogie made his season debut for the Rockets.

Okogie, who last played for the Charlotte Hornets, put up eight points, two rebounds, one assist and a block in 20 minutes of action. He wasn't the most effective, but the 27-year-old proved he could stay in Houston's rotation moving forward.

While Sheppard is more an offensive talent, Okogie has built a reputation as a pest on defense. In 18 games for the Hornets last season, he averaged 1.8 steals per game and has continuously shown good defense despite it not necessarily showing up on the stat sheet.

With Sheppard still navigating the league as a second-year guard, Okogie proved in the season opener that he could be a solid backup guard with VanVleet injured. He doesn't need shots on offense to be effective.

The 6-foot-4 veteran could be most impactful against smaller teams and elite guards. While the Rockets emphasized height in their first game, that lineup may not last forever. Late in the game against Oklahoma City, Okogie found some minutes and was used for key stops.

Regardless, it's still early. Houston is getting a feel for what lineups work, especially regarding its bench. If Sheppard struggles to make the jump everyone expects him to make, Okogie could take his spot off the bench and be the point-of-attack defender the Rockets need down the stretch.