3 Rockets Under the Most Pressure Entering the 2026-27 Season

The Rockets enter the 2026-27 season with more pressure than ever to take the next step. After back-to-back early playoff exits, there are three people in particular who will be under the microscope.

Reed Sheppard

Sheppard was a much, much better player last season than the player who fell out of the rotation as a rookie, but the last memory we have of the 22-year-old is a lousy postseason series against the Lakers in which he shot 31%, committed inexcusable turnovers in big spots and was targeted relentlessly on the defensive end.

After averaging 12.6 minutes in 52 games as a rookie, Sheppard played 26.2 minutes while appearing in all 82 games last season. Fred VanVleet’s knee injury cemented Sheppard’s spot in the rotation, but his minutes won’t be guaranteed this season. Not only should VanVleet be back, but the Rockets signed Marcus Smart to a two-year deal over the summer. Sheppard will have to earn his minutes this season.

There is always pressure on a first-round pick entering his third year because he’s playing for an extension, but because he hasn’t yet met expectations during his first two seasons and has been outplayed by Stephon Castle, who plays just 180 miles away and was the very next player drafted, there’s even more pressure on Sheppard to perform.

Fred VanVleet

After being underappreciated by fans throughout his first two seasons in a Rockets uniform, VanVleet’s value to the team was demonstrated by how things looked in his absence last season. The Rockets finished tied for 27th in turnover rate last season after finishing inside the top 11 in each of the two seasons prior. The lack of a true point guard on the floor was glaring, especially in fourth quarters.

Rockets GM Rafael Stone told reporters at Summer League that he expects VanVleet to be ready for the start of training camp, and VanVleet told Vanessa Richardson that he’s on track with his rehab. His return to the floor will be a welcome addition, but he still needs to perform to round out the starting group.

The Rockets could have filled the void VanVleet left by trading him last season but didn’t for two reasons. The first is that they truly valued his leadership and everything else he brings to the organization. The other is that he had the right to veto any trade.

VanVleet no longer has that right, so he is currently on a $25 million expiring contract. If VanVleet doesn’t play well, I don’t think the Rockets will hesitate to pair his contract with other assets in an attempt to improve the team after back-to-back early postseason exits.

Ime Udoka

The Rockets won 41 and 52 games during Udoka’s first two seasons as head coach after winning 20 and 22 the two seasons prior to his arrival. Last season’s 52-win campaign wasn’t a step back, but it wasn’t the step forward people were expecting after trading for Kevin Durant, especially with Durant playing at an All-NBA level.

Fred VanVleet’s September knee injury was out of his control, but the issues the Rockets had in November remained issues in April.

The roster is built in Udoka’s image, and that was reinforced by the addition of Marcus Smart, a favorite of his in Boston. While the Rockets also added renowned shooting and development coach Chip Engelland to the coaching staff, Udoka declined to hire an assistant who could help juice his team’s half-court offense.

The Fertittas love Udoka and made him one of the NBA’s highest-paid coaches after the 2025 season, but they are going to need to see postseason results soon, especially after paying the luxury tax for the first time last season and with the expectation that they will be in the tax again in 2028. There’s no doubt they watched the Knicks win a championship shortly after firing Tom Thibodeau.

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