Is Reed Sheppard Still The Future For The Rockets' Lead Guard Spot?

The Houston Rockets seem to be functioning on two timelines of what they hope is longterm, competitive play. The first timeline includes the likes of Kevin Durant, Fred VanVleet, and Steven Adams as highly productive and impactful players. Each of these players dealt with injury at some point in the season, leaving the young players to navigate the postseason on their own.

Those young players are part of a secondary timeline as the team hopes for competitive performance after the vets move on. One important position to address is the performance of the point guard, an issue that was present all season after VanVleet went down. Reed Sheppard was drafted to be his eventual replacement, but there is plenty of work to be done before he can legitimately claim the title as lead guard.

As a secondary ball handler, Sheppard has actually proven to be quite effective. He and Amen Thompson were tasked with a larger role than what they may be most suited for, but they are best at their natural roles as off-ball players with the ability to make secondary decisions after the first action.

With VanVleet playing, these players could limit their usage in the primary action to initiate offense. Without him, they were both expected to play lead guard roles for the team.

Sheppard's skill set may be more suited for that role. His ability to hit deep shots off the dribble and around screens is a crucial element of the league's top offenses. Most of the best teams have a player that can either catch-and-shoot after curling from a screen, or can dribble around it to find a quick open shot before the man guarding the screener can contest.

This is an element Sheppard possesses that Thompson doesn't. It's also how VanVleet created many of his three-point opportunities. That could be the skill Sheppard can recreate most and what may give him the ability to step into VanVleet's role when the vet's playing days with the Rockets are over.

Both players are also adept at spacing the floor off the ball, using Alperen Şengün's gravity to find open spots from three-point range.

However, the most important job VanVleet has been tasked with is to take care of the ball while he leads the offense.

The Rockets haven't found a player who has the elite ball security VanVleet has excelled at. Turnovers have been a significant problem with most of Houston's main ball handlers without VanVleet in the game. He also helps his teammates keep their turnovers down with his performance.

Sheppard hasn't shown that ability yet, and it'll be a crucial area for him to develop in if the Rockets hope to elevate him to the lead guard spot eventually.

At this point, Sheppard seems to be a quality boost off the bench to sub in for a legitimate lead guard with elite ball security against pressure. That skill will be the most important for Sheppard if the Rockets hope to use him as a starter against some of the league's best teams and defenses in the coming years.

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