{"id":156866,"date":"2025-07-08T22:52:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T22:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/156866\/"},"modified":"2025-07-08T22:52:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T22:52:11","slug":"hes-just-going-to-have-to-be-really-good-for-us-period","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/156866\/","title":{"rendered":"He’s just going to have to be really good for us. Period."},"content":{"rendered":"

Reed Sheppard<\/a> didn\u2019t get much real run as a rookie, especially one taken as the No. 3 overall pick, but he\u2019ll be expected to step into an important role in year two. <\/p>\n

NBA Summer League action in Las Vegas begins on Thursday and continues over the following 10 days. In an effort to get in some extra playing time, the former Kentucky guard will headline the Houston Rockets\u2019 Sin City roster. In a perfect world, it shouldn\u2019t be much of a challenge for him. Sheppard impressed during last year\u2019s Summer League run across four games: 20 points, 5.2 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.8 steals per outing. He\u2019s proven to be a step above that kind of competition. When demoted to the G League during the 2024-25 season, it only took three games before Houston called him back up. Sheppard averaged over 30 points per game during that stretch, even winning G League Player of the Week. <\/p>\n

Houston\u2019s front office clearly sees Sheppard\u2019s potential, and they intend to extend his leash in 2025-26, but sitting out 30 games while only averaging 12.6 minutes per contest as a rookie didn\u2019t help his development. The Rockets unexpectedly won 52 games last season. Sheppard was often the odd man out of the rotation. <\/p>\n

That won\u2019t be the case this season. <\/p>\n

\u201cI mean Reed is just going to have to be really good for us,\u201d Rockets GM Rafael Stone told reporters Monday. \u201cPeriod.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another thing that stood out to me yesterday is that the Rockets are going to give Reed Sheppard plenty of opportunities to have a bigger role next season.<\/p>\n

At this moment doesn\u2019t seem like they are making any other moves so Sheppard will have to step up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean Reed is just\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/B5nAfMdhEI<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) July 8, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The Rockets won\u2019t surprise anyone this time around in 2025-26. Kevin Durant is on the roster thanks to a record-setting seven-team trade<\/a>. Houston shipped out Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Cam Whitmore this offseason, opening up more minutes for Sheppard. He\u2019s now suddenly high on the backcourt depth chart, which also includes Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, and Aaron Holiday. Stone says it\u2019s unlikely more roster moves will be made between now and the start of the season. <\/p>\n

Houston\u2019s coaching staff wants Sheppard to slide in at backup point guard on a team with championship aspirations. <\/p>\n

\u201cI want him to be aggressive, I want to see just more growth as a point guard,\u201d Rockets assistant coach Garrett Jackson, who will again coach Sheppard at Summer League, said Monday. \u201cFor him, he\u2019s got a lot of tools, he\u2019s a very smart player. I just want to see him get more comfortable on the court and just keep being aggressive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pressure is a privilege. Sheppard will have plenty of it as a second-year player. <\/p>\n