Rockets' Point Guard Hole is Becoming An Increasing Concern Around the NBA

It seems redundant at this point, despite the news breaking just about two weeks ago, but the Houston Rockets losing to Fred VanVleet to injury is a growing concern for a team looking to compete for a championship.

The former All-Star and veteran point guard tore his ACL prior to the start of training camp, leaving the Rockets thin at the one. But this storyline is starting to become the absolute biggest talking point regarding Houston as the preseason kicks off.

In fact, 'thin' seems like an understatement when regarding the team's point guard rotation. The Athletic's William Guillory had Houston's burning question as how the Rockets would handle VanVleet's absence. Fred Katz had their biggest storyline regarding where the playmaking would come from.

Everyone around the NBA is wondering how Houston will handle the major hole at point guard. While any team missing a major piece in the starting lineup would ask those questions, two factors are contributing to this being more of a concern than anything.

The first is obvious: the Rockets have no other point guard who is proven to be able to step up in VanVleet's absence. Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard are the obvious candidates, but Thompson has no true experience running the offense, especially in big-time situations. Sheppard barely got any opportunities last season, so would it be wise to throw him into the fire so early?

"Thompson and Sheppard are very talented players, which is why they both were selected in the top five of their respective drafts, but will they be ready to step in and take the scrutiny that comes with the added responsibility that’s been placed upon them?" Guillory wrote.

The second is that the season is right around the corner. Training camp and preseason give the Rockets an opportunity to plug and play different guys, but this unforeseen injury happening in late September doesn't help Houston when figuring out the offense for the season.

All of this concern is why the rest of the NBA and the media are keeping a close eye on the Rockets. After a blockbuster offseason that saw them revamp the roster with Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela as key additions, that positive buzz is being overshadowed by the injury to Houston's floor general.

If the Rockets can silence the noise early and figure out a sufficient offense without VanVleet, that concern will get shut down almost immediately. However, early struggles could flip Houston's reputation as a legitimate title contender.