On Friday, The Athletic released a list ranking all 30 NBA teams by position. The list evaluates the team’s starters and reserves together, factoring in recent production, availability, and morale.
With Fred VanVleet projected as the team’s starter and Reed Sheppard as the primary reserve, the Houston Rockets are ranked No. 23 at the point guard position. The Athletic’s Law Murray wrote the following:
“Point guard is arguably the deepest position in the league. There are quality starters in Utah, Toronto, Houston, New Orleans and Charlotte, but those teams have players who are further away from true star status.”
A Positional Need
VanVleet is set to return from an ACL injury that sidelined him for the entirety of the 2025-2026 season. While the 32-year-old guard is expected to bring a sense of veteran leadership to Houston’s backcourt, he is nearly five years removed from his lone All-Star selection and has seen his scoring average decline to 14.1 points per game.
Behind VanVleet, Sheppard had an impressive sophomore season in the league. The 22-year-old averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.5 steals over 82 games, earning a top-10 finish in Sixth Man of the Year voting. He could develop into a key piece of Houston’s young core over the long term, though VanVleet seems to be a safer starting option for a playoff-hopeful team.
Coming off a 52-30 record and fronted by the likes of Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson, the Rockets are deemed a team that could have a breakthrough in 2027. As suggested by Murray, Houston has solid point guard options between VanVleet and Sheppard, though neither is at an All-Star-caliber level.
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka could make the decision to shift Thompson to the starting point guard role, though this would create a similar need at shooting guard. If the franchise plans to go all-in on an immediate championship run, a major trade could be made in the coming months.
Kyrie Irving continues to emerge as a potential trade target for the Rockets. He averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game during the 2024-2025 season, earning an All-Star selection.
While a trade for Irving could result in the Rockets losing a few pieces that could gain value over time, the nine-time All-Star could help the franchise better match up against the Western Conference’s juggernauts. The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder have put distance between themselves and the rest of the conference.
Overall, despite the unflattering rating, VanVleet and Sheppard are two passable options at point guard. Depending on how the season progresses, Irving should be considered as an offensive upgrade.
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