Without Alperen Şengün’s interior gravity, Houston’s perimeter attack has gone noticeably cold. As the defense no longer has to collapse into the paint, the Rockets’ shooters have struggled to find clean looks, and the drop-off has been evident across the board—Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, Aaron Holiday, and Josh Okogie have all seen their accuracy decline.
The spotlight, however, has shone brightest on No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard. Entering the season, he was viewed as a high-upside guard with the potential to grow quickly—especially after Fred VanVleet was ruled out for the year, making Sheppard a key development priority. Yet against the Trail Blazers, Sheppard logged 22 minutes and finished 3-for-10 from the field, 1-for-7 from three, totaling 8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal—an underwhelming line for a player asked to shoulder more responsibility. Statistically, the recent trend is just as concerning: over his last eight games, Sheppard is 13-for-47 from deep, a 27.7% clip.
That dip stands in sharp contrast to the early-season flashes that suggested he might be ready to break out. Without Şengün drawing help defenders and creating natural spacing, Sheppard is seeing more pressure at the point of attack—tighter closeouts, more physical on-ball defense, and fewer windows to operate. Offensively, that has led to hesitation. Defensively, opponents have been comfortable targeting him, testing his strength and decision-making possession after possession.
None of this changes the fact that Sheppard’s talent is real. He brings legitimate shooting touch and a strong feel as a passer. But this stage of the season is also revealing the areas that typically challenge rookies: handling high-intensity physicality, staying composed under constant scouting attention, and producing consistently when the game plan is built to take away his comfort zones. The Rockets’ idea—lean into Sheppard’s development after VanVleet’s season-ending ACL injury and let him grow into a primary organizer—was bold. The reality is that his performance has been uneven under pressure, and he isn’t quite ready to carry that kind of workload every night.
VanVleet’s absence is undeniably a major blow. As a veteran floor general, he provided stability, structure, and control—exactly what young teams rely on when possessions tighten up. His injury has forced Houston’s backcourt to depend heavily on inexperienced players, and the front office’s decision not to add another true point guard has now created a difficult dilemma. The plan was to prioritize Sheppard’s growth; the current situation demands immediate functionality.
Making matters worse, Şengün had become a crucial secondary hub—arguably the Rockets’ most reliable playmaker after VanVleet went down. With both off the floor, the offense has struggled to maintain rhythm, and the system has begun to unravel. Opponents can now simplify their approach: crowd the perimeter, clog the paint, and force isolation possessions—putting even more pressure on Kevin Durant to create something out of nothing.
That kind of predictable basketball doesn’t just stall regular-season offense—it becomes far more punishing under playoff-level intensity. If Houston wants to stabilize its identity and protect the growth of its young core, this is exactly the moment for Rafael Stone to take action in the market and reinforce the roster with a true organizer who can steady the team when the margins get tight.
