Reed Sheppard’s future with Rockets solidified by Fred VanVleet news

The Houston Rockets have committed to a future that includes point guard Fred VanVleet. It's an easily agreeable decision when one considers the impact VanVleet has had on the culture shift in Houston, as well as the team's resounding success in 2024-25.

In the process of embracing a future with VanVleet, the Rockets have confirmed that Reed Sheppard is, in fact, a franchise cornerstone.

VanVleet entered the offseason with a player option worth roughly $44.9 million. As such, one of the headlining questions facing Houston was the matter of whether or not it would be accepted—let alone how the franchise would handle the matter of re-signing him if it wasn't.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Rockets have answered that question by re-signing VanVleet to a two-year, $50 million contract with a player option for the 2026-27 season.

As a result, the Rockets have officially confirmed that Sheppard is the guard of the future with a team-friendly deal for VanVleet.

Rockets confirm Reed Sheppard is the guard of the future with FVV deal

VanVleet signing a team-friendly contract has created a far more manageable path for Sheppard to break into the starting lineup. Financial elements shouldn't permeate the locker room when it comes to rotation decisions, but the harsh reality is that they often play a part.

Whether fair or foul, a player's on-court value is often tied to their cap hit, and VanVleet's monster figures in recent years inevitably resulted in pressure to perform at a starting-caliber level.

VanVleet has more than delivered, acting as a calming force for good in an inexperienced Rockets rotation. He took that to a new level when he either matched or outscored Stephen Curry in three straight games during the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

The only downside of VanVleet's success, however, was that it continued to create uncertainty in regard to Sheppard's future.

Houston selected Sheppard at No. 3 overall at the 2024 NBA Draft, but played him just 12.6 minutes per game during the regular season and 3.3 during the playoffs. He thrived when given the opportunity to play meaningful minutes, but opportunities were few and far between.

By signing VanVleet for just over half of the annual salary it would've owed had he accepted his player option, however, an argument can be made that Houston has cleared a path for Sheppard.

Sheppard received upward of 20 minutes just five times in 2024-25, but averaged 16.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.0 block, and 3.4 three-point field goals made during that time. The hope moving forward is that he'll receive considerably more opportunities in 2025-26.

Only time will tell how head coach Ime Udoka will approach Sheppard's development, but a team-friendly contract for VanVleet is a promising sign of the organization's priorities.