Fred VanVleet's shooting and passing were the missing element for the Rockets

Last Friday, Fred VanVleet got his first taste of NBA action in 523 days when he suited up for the Rockets preseason opener in Macao. After warning fans that he would need time to get reacclimated, VanVleet had a great start to the preseason with 17 points and 7 assists in 24 minutes against the Mavericks. When he was on the court, it was clear that his passing and shooting were the connective pieces missing from the Rockets offense last season.

The Rockets desperately needed VanVleet back

VanVleet's importance to the Rockets was obvious in his first two seasons with the team. While young players around him had wildly varying trajectories, VanVleet steadied Houston's offense with a combination of fundamental passing, deadly outside shooting and low-risk basketball. His presence helped everyone else score the ball easier, even if his own stats didn't look overly impressive.

Last season, the Rockets sorely lacked solid point guard play like what VanVleet provides. His loss was most felt in the playoffs, where the young Rockets were left to fend for themselves while VanVleet and Kevin Durant sat out with injury. Now, both veterans are fully healthy and ready to make an impact.

In the preseason opener, VanVleet hit 5-of-12 attempts from three-point range. As if to emphasize the importance of his outside shooting, VanVleet didn't even attempt a single shot from inside the arc. Obviously, VanVleet hit his threes at a very efficient clip in this game, but his shooting would still have value even if he wasn't hitting his shots.

VanVleet gets his shots off quicker and more fearlessly than just about any other Rocket, with the possible exception of Reed Sheppard. VanVleet is also willing to pull the trigger from very deep, as he showed with one make from the logo. Both of those factors force defenses to play him very close on the perimeter and close out hard whenever he gets the least bit open.

VanVleet knows how to make the team better

By running around as a three-point threat, VanVleet can open lanes for his teammates to attack the rim and crash the glass. Considering how elite the Rockets are at offensive rebounding, both of those openings can make a huge impact for their overall offense.

VanVleet also adds additional offensive value with his playmaking. His 7 assists came alongside just 1 turnover. And those assists showed off VanVleet's full bag of veteran passing tricks. Some of them led to shots at the rim, while others set up three-pointers. But in every case, it was clear that VanVleet knew exactly where and how his teammates liked to get the ball.

That's what a true point guard should do, which is exactly why Steady Freddy is so important to the Rockets. He should continue that excellent play into the regular season and unlock another level for the Rockets offense.

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