What will the Houston Rockets do during the offseason?
They had a very promising regular season, and there is clearly a ton of talent on the roster, but the Rockets aren’t where they want to be.
So, how do they take the next step?
Writing for ESPN, Bobby Marks said that the Rockets need to focus on young up-and-comer Reed Sheppard during the summer.
“There is also a priority for [Reed] Sheppard to develop into a rotational player. Sheppard averaged 12.6 minutes this season and struggled with consistency from the perimeter. In three games with the G League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Reed averaged 30.7 points and 8.3 assists per game,” Marks wrote.
Sheppard just concluded his rookie season, and he showed that he has a lot of talent to work with.
He averaged 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists during his 52 games, but only played for an average of just 12.6 minutes per game.
Sheppard was selected as the third pick in the 2024 draft, which led many to believe the Rockets would use him a lot.
But the problem for Sheppard is that he struggled in certain parts of his game, and the Rockets weren’t looking to stay subpar.
They didn’t offer him many minutes because they had big goals and other players who could help achieve them.
So, Sheppard wasn’t given much of a chance and spent much of his rookie year on the bench.
Marks thinks that should change next season.
Sheppard has some standout games with the Rockets’ G-League affiliate team, and he could blossom with Houston next season if they give him a chance.
But will they listen to Marks, or will they stick with the rotation they have now?
