The Houston Rockets seem high on Reed Sheppard.
All the messaging from the front office has indicated as much. If one of the Hawks or Wizards had grabbed Sheppard in the 2024 NBA Draft, it's unclear whether the Rockets would have kept their pick. By all appearances, they went into the draft with eyes for Sheppard alone.
That said, you wouldn't know it [from his rookie year.](https://spacecityscoop.com/it-s-time-houston-rockets-send-reed-sheppard-g-league) Sheppard averaged a mere 12.6 minutes per game. That's a remarkably low number for a recent third overall selection.
That's because the Rockets aren't a lottery team. This pick came from the Brooklyn Nets. The Rockets approached 2024-25 in strict win-now mode, and Sheppard wasn't ready to contribute.
Is that going to change in 2025-26?
Rockets have no clear solution to Reed Sheppard problem
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Let's talk about what kept Sheppard off the floor.
In theory, Houston needed his shooting. In practice, Sheppard hit just 33.8% of his triples. His diminutive size made it difficult for him to get his shot off. Still, Sheppard did manage to [showcase some lethal accuracy](https://spacecityscoop.com/reed-sheppard-proves-point-rockets-beginning) when he found an opportunity. With more reps, it feels likely that Sheppard's three-point percentage would have normalized.
That's not the main thing that kept him off the floor anyway.
That would be defense. Sheppard struggled on that end, and everyone knows that won't fly with Ime Udoka. It wasn't for lack of effort. Sheppard's 2.6% steal percentage would have ranked 6th if he'd met the minutes qualifier. That's not a definitive endorsement of his ability - he'd have ranked one spot ahead of notorious sieve Luka Doncic - but it's worth noting.
It was Sheppard's size that posed problems. He's got great instincts and quick hands, but he's too short to routinely contest shots effectively. That's not going to change in 2024-25:
How can the Rockets find opportunities for him?
Rockets need to play Sheppard
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They need to play him and live with the results.
Recently, I advocated for letting Aaron Holiday walk. That would free up time in the rotation for Sheppard to be Fred VanVleet's primary backup. He needs to assume that role in 2025-26.
The Rockets will need to live with the results. It may not be pretty. It's entirely possible that a sophomore with minimal offensive reps won't be as effective as Aaron Holiday.
So, it's not a perfect solution. It's still the best option available. It may be a couple of years before the Rockets hand Sheppard the keys, but they can't pick a player third overall without making him a rotation staple in his sophomore year:
If they're high on him, they won't make that mistake.