The Houston Rockets just gave rookie Reed Sheppard another DNP-CD. After lighting up the G League, the Houston Rockets rookie point guard and third overall pick was recalled to the roster on Sunday. On Thursday, the second night of a back-to-back, the Rockets went toe-to-toe with the Sacramento Kings while missing starting point guard Fred VanVleet. Sheppard never touched the court. Did the Rockets make a mistake?
The Rockets Lottery Pick Still Picking Up DNPs
Over three outings in the G League, Sheppard averaged 30.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. That’s with a whopping 64.8% true shooting. The current official season leader in points per game is Brandon Williams, averaging 28.5.
But Sheppard’s season in the NBA has been a little less productive. He’s averaging 3.2 points on 40.4% true shooting. His 27.1% accuracy from beyond the arc has been a particular disappointment considering his elite shooting in college. The hope was that a stint in the lower league after the Rockets’ NBA Cup run would build his confidence back up, and he would be ready to help out later in the season.
Fans were immediately left scratching their heads when the stint was cut short after only three games. Meanwhile, his opportunities to show his improved confidence since his return have been limited. He played six minutes in Houston’s blowout with over the Denver Nuggets and went scoreless on three attempts. That has been it. Even with the team’s starting point guard unavailable for personal reasons, Sheppard did not play. So people are wondering, if he wouldn’t even play under those circumstances, why recall him at all?
Why The Rockets Gave Sheppard His Latest DNP
The specifics of the Sacramento matchup probably had something to do with keeping Sheppard off the floor. Head coach Ime Udoka started veteran Jeff Green in an attempt to contain the Kings’ scoring prowess with overwhelming size. Even veteran guard Aaron Holiday didn’t play until the second quarter. Had it not been for three first-half fouls, Udoka might have leaned even harder on Jalen Green‘s rising hot streak.
The reality is that Sheppard’s recall from the G League is something of a mirage. He’s very likely to be sent back down just as soon as the Rockets’ affiliate team has any games to actually play him in. He came back to participate in practices and be around the team. Sheppard simply isn’t ready to contribute to a team as invested in winning right now as this year’s Rockets squad. He could become ready if he played more, but it would be at the expense of playing players who, right now, are better. In essence, it wouldn’t be doing everything possible to win. That’s what Udoka has preached ever since he arrived in town.
Did the Rockets Make a Mistake?
Even in a weak draft, rookies like Stephon Castle and Yves Missi have looked much steadier. But on this Rockets team, those players probably wouldn’t be getting minutes either. The roster is laden with athletic marvels. Having a player who projects as a different archetype is valuable diversification.
There’s nothing wrong with Sheppard taking a bit longer to find his footing in the league. There isn’t anything wrong with the Rockets using the third overall pick in this particular draft on such a player either. People who thought Sheppard was a lock to be among the Rockets’ few First Team All-Rookie members wound up looking a little bit silly. But that’s about it.
There was logic to thinking Sheppard could be a contributor. Coming out of college, the Kentucky sharpshooter had two obvious skills. He could shoot, and he could pass. It’s a much-labored pun at this point, but he seemed to have a great read on the game. Rookies with solid fundamentals like that tend to have an easier time sliding into rotational roles early on in their careers.
It also seemed to Sheppard’s advantage that those two skills were sore areas of need for a Houston roster largely unchanged from the previous season. VanVleet finished 2023-24 sixth in minutes per game. Someone who could come in and spell VanVleet to keep him fresh for potential late-game heroics seemed like a valuable commodity.
The main problem for Sheppard has been on defense though. Offensively, he has the fundamentals to be passable even while acclimating his jump shot to NBA defense. But defensively, his size in a league of giants makes him a target. Players who are defensive liabilities have to be more than passable on offense. Once he gets his shot working, he will be.
The Last Word
Sheppard should still wind up being a very productive NBA player. For now, playing him would be strictly an investment in the future. It’s an investment that Udoka isn’t willing to make, and Rockets fans are generally on board with it. His judgment already yielded an impressive turnaround for the franchise last season. So far he’s followed it up with an improbable sprint out to the two-seed. Rockets fans are happy with the Sheppard pick and okay with the DNPs. Maybe Sheppard can help the team win in the future. But they’re winning (mostly) right now without him, and winning cures many ills.
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