Rockets make rare misstep that could haunt them by re-signing veteran guard

The Houston Rockets got their big summer decision out of the way early. Now, they've moved on to making smaller choices.

Naturally, the choice to sign Kevin Durant was the big one. It revolutionized the team's outlook. That said, there's more to consider.

Now, there's a little less.

Rockets retain 3 veterans

Shams Charania is reporting that the Rockets opted to retain the services of Jeff Green, Jae'Sean Tate, and Aaron Holiday.

Keeping Green was a no-brainer. His veteran influence benefits this squad. Almost every young Rocket has shown some affection for the man they call "Uncle" Jeff.

Will he see the floor? Hopefully, as little as possible. Green is nearing retirement. This was a chemistry decision. A veteran player-coach on the back of the bench can be invaluable for an NBA team.

Tate feels like a similar signing, although he's not as well-travelled as Green. Still, he's embedded himself into the Rockets' culture. Tate's subpar three-point shooting has made him a questionable fit with the Rockets, but he's a fine roster piece so long as he's not heavily relied on. Tate should be on call in the event of injuries, and otherwise, mostly on the bench unless the team is in garbage time.

Keeping those forwards was understandable. Holiday is a different case. The Rockets should have let him walk:

And it's got nothing to do with Holiday.

Rockets need to open pathway for young guard

Realistically, Holiday is the most useful NBA player out of this trio.

That's part of the problem.

In 2024-25, Reed Sheppard did not see as much playing time as Rockets fans hoped he would. His diminutive size didn't endear him to Ime Udoka. It appeared that Udoka did not trust Sheppard on the defensive end of the floor.

Sheppard isn't gaining any height ahead of 2025-26. Yet, the Rockets can't afford to squander him. Even if they don't think he's part of the future, Sheppard needs to showcase his game if he's going to retain any trade value.

That said, they should entertain the idea of him as a vital part of their future. Sheppard was by far the most gifted shooter on this team until a certain Easy Money Sniper showed up. His generational college shooting gives him immense potential.

He won't fulfil it with Holiday standing in his way.

Moreover, the Rockets shouldn't expect Udoka to play Sheppard if he'd prefer to play Holiday. His primary job is to win games, not develop players. The Rockets should have forcably removed the training wheels and made Udoka put Holiday on the floor.

Perhaps it's not important. Some will argue that if Sheppard can't usurp a role player like Aaron Holiday in his sophomore year, he doesn't project well anyway. That's fair, but if Udoka doesn't give him a chance to shine, it's a moot point.

If it goes poorly enough, Sheppard's next team could be next summer's big decision.