5 crucial observations from the first stage in the Rockets' Reed Sheppard experiment

As the Houston Rockets enter the season without starting point guard Fred VanVleet, as a result of the devastating ACL injury he suffered in a team mini-camp late this offseason, the central question surrounding the roster is who will take on the playmaking duties he has left behind.

Both Amen Thompson and second-year guard Reed Sheppard are the top candidates to take on this role, and, in the team's first preseason game, Sheppard flashed both why he can be a difference-maker this year for the Rockets and why his game still needs time to develop.

In 14 minutes, Sheppard posted seven points, three rebounds and one assist, starting the game at point guard and getting his first shot this season at taking the ball down the court.

Given the importance of Sheppard's early season performance to this team's success, let's take a look at what can be gleaned from the earliest sample of the team's experiment:

He can get to the cup and put the ball on the floor

Last season, as Sheppard struggled to crack the rotation, many fans of the team saw his potential viability as a perimeter shooter who could help space the floor in bench minutes for the team.

Yet, if he is going to become a pivotal playmaker for Houston, he is going to have to get more comfortable handling the ball and driving downhill in order to create the passing lanes he needs to distribute the ball to his teammates.

As early as the first quarter, Sheppard displayed this willingness, taking the ball on a downhill drive for a lay-up and getting multiple pushes into the paint before kicking it out to the perimeter: a strong sign for his development as a playmaker this season.

He can still get sped up with the ball in his hands

On the flip side of the coin, Sheppard's main drawback as a playmaker at this stage in his development is his propensity to get panicked or rushed with the ball in his hands.

This was on ample display as well in the team's game against the Hawks, particularly on a give-and-go to Steven Adams early in the game and an errant kick-out from the sideline early in the second half: both of which resulted in turnovers.

Reed's viability as a facilitator for the Rockets will depend on his ability to clean this type of play up throughout the course of the season.

He's a real catch-and-shoot threat

Not much needs to be said about Sheppard's potential as a perimeter shooter. In his lone season at Kentucky he shot an absurd 51.4% on catch-and-shoot threes, and the clip below speaks for itself as to how huge this skill could be this season for Houston:

He's willing to gamble for steals

One of the most justifiable concerns in Sheppard's game is his general lack of defensive viability. With his smaller frame and overall deficit in lateral quickness, Sheppard could very easily become a target on that side of the ball, limiting his rotational viability and his minutes.

Yet, he led the SEC in steals per game in 2023-24 with 2.5, and, if he can become pesky with this facet of his game at the NBA level, it could go a long way for his viability as a starter or a major role player on a defensively-focused team.

Although he got the foul on the play, him reaching and trying to strip Kristaps Porzingis from behind in the first quarter is exactly what you need to see from Sheppard.

The rest of the backcourt are going to get their shots as well

Despite the fact that Sheppard and Thompson will get the first cracks at taking on VanVleet's offensive burden onto their shoulders, head coach Ime Udoka has made clear that this will be approached by a committee of players.

While the team is generally lacking backcourt depth, all of its guards got minutes tonight, with Thompson playing 17, Aaron Holiday playing 20 and JD Davison playing 22.

If Sheppard ultimately cannot take the strides they need him to this season, there are other players waiting to step into his role. Perhaps the competition, and a shot at genuine minutes, will kick Sheppard into another gear.