The Rockets Must Take Some Offensive Responsibility From VanVleet

Ever since Fred VanVleet's arrival in the 2023-24 season, he has been a staple in the offense. He runs the pick-and-roll better than anyone else on the roster, and his shooting has given life to Houston's offense when the Rockets struggled. He creates offense for others, especially Alperen Sengun, and he limits turnovers.

However, as a smaller guard, he isn't as effective getting into the paint or creating rim pressure. His scoring depends on hitting jump shots, most of which come from deep range. VanVleet can still be counted on to take care of the ball, but he should see a smaller role in the offense next season.

VanVleet will continue to be the main initiator on the offense. The Rockets can't afford to take the ball out of his hands in the half-court unless they allow new addition Kevin Durant to work in isolation.

The two-man game between Sengun and VanVleet is a genuine weapon, and the two players make the correct decisions with the ball to create shots for themselves or their teammates. VanVleet's ideal role for the Rockets is to distribute the ball and maintain possession, while also knocking down catch-and-shoot threes created by Sengun and Amen Thompson.

The days of pull-up three-pointers and tough shots in the mid-range should be over for VanVleet. When he's hot, these shots can be crucial for the team's success. However, it's not a consistent enough weapon for the Rockets to depend on as much as they have in recent seasons.

Durant should ease the pressure from VanVleet's shoulders to take the tough shots when the young players get stuck. There are few players in NBA history as well-equipped to create offense efficiently in the half-court. Many of the bailout shots VanVleet and former Rocket Dillon Brooks hit were because of a poor possession. Passing the responsibility to Durant and potentially Jabari Smith Jr. to replace those shots could be a benefit to the overall offense.

VanVleet will still be a threat on offense despite likely taking a step back. He's a capable scorer, but dialing back his role on offense will only be made possible if the young players, like Thompson, Sengun, Smith Jr., and Reed Sheppard, can improve at creating half-court offense.

If the Rockets still struggle in the half-court next season, VanVleet will likely have to attempt to take over games with his scoring. If the addition of Durant and a few other key pieces solves their scoring issues in half-court sets, the Rockets will have answered their biggest question from last season.