Rockets can fix their Fred VanVleet problem right away in the 2026 Draft

Heading into the offseason, the Rockets should be focused with getting younger at the point guard position. Although Fred VanVleet has been a steady hand during his Houston tenure, the Rockets should focus on drafting his eventual replacement this summer. Luckily for them, an ideal target could still be available by their 39th overall pick - Braden Smith out of Purdue.

Braden Smith could be a long-term fix for Houston

Smith actually has a lot of similarities to VanVleet coming out of college: both are incredibly accomplished college players with great shooting and passing, but overlooked on draft boards because of their size. VanVleet has always been undersized in the NBA at 6'0" but Smith is even smaller at 5'10" and 167lbs.

Still, Smith's upside as a playmaker and shooter to connect the Rockets offense is tantalizing. He averaged nearly 9 assists per game for Purdue in each of the last two seasons - one of the top marks in the country. He's shown repeatedly that he can make any pass needed to get his teammates the ball where they need it.

It's been years since the Rockets had a young point guard capable of truly connecting the offense. You'd have to go back to James Harden to find a good franchise point guard under the age of 28. VanVleet is 32 now and missed all of last season with an ACL injury, so the clock is ticking for the Rockets to set up his eventual replacement.

Smith has arguably the two most important offensive qualities of a modern supporting floor general. On top of this playmaking, he was also a great shooter in college - he averaged 38.5% from three during his four seasons. That came on significant volume at times, such as when he shot 38% his junior year on over 6 attempts per game.

The Rockets can hide Smith's weaknesses

Despite his size limitations, Smith also competed intensely on defense. He averaged 1.7 steals per game over his career, including a career-high 2.2 as a junior. He's pesky in passing lanes or stripping less skilled ball handlers. He may be a target against apex perimeter scorers, but the Rockets also have tremendous defensive talent on the roster to protect him.

If Smith can end up somewhere that hides his defensive flaws, he could have a long NBA career as a solid player. He's unlikely to ever be an All-Star, but he can be a valuable contributor on a team like the Rockets. Whether as a starter or backup, he can help organize the offense and even be a sneaky defender. All in all, he could really be a perfect role player for the Rockets with an outsized impact.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow