Reed Sheppard continues to show he's the solution to the Rockets' most urgent issue

The Houston Rockets are in need of additional ball-handling in the absence of Fred VanVleet. There's no way around that fact.

However, second-year guard Reed Sheppard has shown flashes early in the season that could, at the very least, give the team pause in looking to pursue a splash trade over the next few weeks.

While his early-season breakout was impressive, the main worry with Sheppard has been his ability to maintain a high level of production over the course of an entire season. Now, almost 30 games in, he has proven not only to be an impactful bench presence but also a steady contributor.

His performance between now and the trade deadline could make all the difference for the Rockets' organizational approach.

Reed Sheppard has remained consistent, and it's the last step in his game he needs to take for the time being

When VanVleet went down late this past offseason with a devastating ACL injury, there were immediate and justifiable concerns about Sheppard and Amen Thompson's abilities to step into his role.

Neither player had ever proved themselves as a high-volume playmaker, and Sheppard's overall lack of NBA experience made the proposition of thrusting him into an impactful role risky, to say the least.

While Sheppard has started just four games this season, he's been excellent in his increased minutes.

His recent stretch of play does not meet the high mark he set with his string of excellent performances in November. However, it does signal an important development in his game: consistency as a scorer and as a ball-handler.

Over his last nine games, he's averaged 13.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 39.4% from 3-point range. More importantly, his 4.1 assists have been paired with just 1.1 turnovers per game in that span.

While this is not a far cry from the ratio he posted across his first nine games of the season, he's shown increased confidence in his ability to lead the offense in almost every game he's played.

There are still questions about his long-term defensive viability, but he's answered virtually every other inquisition that could be levied his way. Players of his archetype are often capable have having excellent flashes, but sustained performance is something that can elude young players.

Sheppard has proved himself as a reliable contributor for the Rockets, and their trade deadline plans could depend on him continuing to do so between now and Feb. 5.