Reed Sheppard is saying all the right things about his offseason development

The Rockets need to see further leaps from their young players to be a serious threat next season, including third-year guard Reed Sheppard. Thankfully, Sheppard seems focused on the right priorities based on a recent interview where he emphasized:

"The biggest thing would be just trying to get stronger, be in the weight room."

For most of the Rockets' roster, physical strength is not a problem but Sheppard is a different story. He came into the league as a small guard and still struggled on defense and getting to his spots inside the arc last season due to his physical disadvantages. Getting stronger this offseason should have great carryover to his game in all aspects and prepare him for a big role next season.

The Rockets would love to see Sheppard get stronger

Houston is sticking to their guns and running back largely the same roster from a season ago. This approach has an advantage in terms of continuity, but makes it hard to address glaring flaws unless players improve during the offseason. For Sheppard, that improvement needs to come in the way of adding size and being able to hold his ground better on both ends.

Last season, Sheppard showed his potential as a lethal outside shooter. He shot 39% from three-point range on 7 attempts per game - numbers met by only 10 players across the league. But Sheppard still only started 21 games, even with Fred VanVleet injured the entire season, because his lack of strength held him back too much.

Sheppard's small frame made him a target on defense, even against some other small guards. For example, you can compare VanVleet's build to Sheppard. Despite being listed as 2 inches shorter (6'0" for FVV vs 6'2" for Sheppard), VanVleet is a superior defender largely due to his strength. Fred is listed at around 200lbs while Sheppard is just 185lbs, so Fred has a lot more sturdiness on defense.

Every aspect of Sheppard's game will improve with more strength

But it's not just defense where Sheppard will get a boost with added size and strength. His offense should also see an improvement, especially in the playoffs. Last season, Sheppard shot just 49% on his 2-pointers, a poor number even for a guard.

And that problem only got worse in the playoffs, where referees often allow more physicality from defenders. In the Rockets' first-round series against the Lakers, Sheppard shot just 32% from 2-point range and 30% from three-point range. Since he didn't have the strength to hold up against physical defense, he saw not only his finishing but also his outside shooting fall off in a playoff environment.

If Sheppard can add some solid strength this offseason, he should come out the other end much better off. He'll have more options as a scorer and better carryover into the most important games come May. The Rockets have high playoff ambitions going into next season, and the only way Sheppard can contribute is with a stronger frame. It's a good thing he's recognized that and is already working towards the right improvements.

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