Rockets' Reed Sheppard Said to Have Starter-Level Potential This Season

Through two games, the Houston Rockets are 0-2. It's a disappointing start, but nothing to be concerned about. They've suffered defeats to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, and most recently, a Detroit Pistons team that will, in all likelihood, make the playoffs.

The Rockets have been struggling for a variety of reasons. Missing Fred VanVleet for the entirety of the season is perhaps the biggest. Houston didn't have much time to regoup, and it has forced guards like Reed Sheppard and Josh Okogie to have increased role without the floor general.

Speaking of Sheppard, he has also struggled through the first two games of the season. The second-year guard has had back-to-back games where he shot 3-for-11 from the field, scoring nine points in each contest. While he has four steals and a block through two games, his offense hasn't been the best.

However, Sheppard was still cited by Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report as the Rockets player with the best chance to steal a starting spot by the end of the season. Last year, Amen Thompson overtook Jabari Smith Jr. in the first five after Smith suffered a hand injury, but it allowed Thompson to unleash his potential.

This year, Sheppard could be the player to elevate Houston's offense alongside Kevin Durant. Hughes noted that Smith's offensive limitations could result in the 6-foot-2 guard getting the nod later on.

"It also means Kevin Durant is the first unit's only fear-inducing shooter, with Jabari Smith Jr. rating mostly as an 'in theory' sniper due to his career hit rate of 34.0 percent," Hughes wrote. "Opponents will rejoice if Steven Adams shoots, and it'll take more than a hot opening night before teams freak out about Alperen Sengün's long-range game.

"If this gambit doesn't pay off, Reed Sheppard has to get a look as a starter. The Rockets might still face spacing issues with him in the lineup, as Durant has never been big on volume from deep, but Sheppard's college pedigree and excellent form make him an obvious fix if the Rockets can't score against packed-in defenses."

Sheppard shot a staggering 52.1% from three in college. He has the defensive potential to contribute to the Rockets on that side of the floor, but can he be the player to step in for VanVleet and provide that offensive spark? He hasn't been afraid to let it fly through two games, but now it's about making those shots.