Next season could be a huge one for the Houston Rockets.
With the acquisition of Kevin Durant and other changes they made this summer, the Rockets are now positioned to be perhaps the best team in the Western Conference in 2025-26.
In order for that to happen, multiple stars – including some young ones – will need to step up.
Writing for ESPN, Jeremy Woo said that Reed Sheppard is “worthy of optimism” and finds himself in the “perfect situation” because he could really help his Rockets in his second year.
“Sheppard has the chance to be a huge swing factor in Houston’s title chase — in theory, he’s stepping into the perfect situation. The question is whether next season is the right time and how the Rockets might have to adjust their depth accordingly. The simple fact is that we haven’t really seen him yet, and what it means for Houston’s place in the arc of this season earns him the top spot on this list,” Woo wrote.
Last season, his first, Sheppard produced 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists for the Rockets.
This was just months after being the third overall pick in the 2024 draft, and some people were rather disappointed in Sheppard’s performance.
But, he could be just getting started, and his sophomore season might be much better than his first.
A lot of people believe that the fate of the Rockets rests on Durant’s shoulders, but that simply isn’t true.
This team is deeper and more versatile than it has been in years, and that will be proven in the months ahead.
If the team really is going to capture the West, it’ll be because players like Sheppard find a stronger footing and evolve.
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