Team Needs: A Star Upgrade, Shooting, Point guard depth
The Houston Rockets made some big moves last summer to take a step forward after hiring Ime Udoka as their head coach. The Rockets used their cap space to sign Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, bringing in two defensive-minded veterans to help guide their young core.
That effort worked to push Houston out of the NBA’s cellar, but didn’t quite close the gap on the playoff teams out West, as they finished 11th, one spot out of the Play-In, at 41-41. Now, the Rockets are looking to take that next step into playoff contention, and have some decisions to make regarding their bevy of young talent, and which players they view as cornerstones of a contender. Houston has a handful of needs, but what they have to determine is which of those need to be acquired and what can be taken care of by internal development.
They also found themselves near the top of the 2024 Draft thanks to the Brooklyn Nets, landing at No. 3 in the lottery, giving them a number of options come Draft night. They could look to add some more young talent to their roster, or look to trade the pick in their quest to bolster their roster for a run next year, depending on how the first two picks shook out. Ultimately, they stuck at 3 and took the best shooter in the Draft in Reed Sheppard out of Kentucky.
Reed Sheppard (No. 3 Overall), A: This is a very, very fun fit that also checks the “best available” box. While the Rockets do have Fred VanVleet, Sheppard can play both guard spots and, most importantly, provide dead-eye shooting. His statistical translations are off the charts and, long-term, he pairs quite well with Amen Thompson.