Does Reed Sheppard Solve the Rockets' Offensive Problems?

Sheppard was drafted to a Houston squad with shooting struggles.

Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) shoots against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets had an interesting dilemma throughout the course of the 2023-24 season. Last year, the Rockets had one of the best defenses in the NBA, ending the season with a 112.8 defensive rating, good for tenth in the league. On the other side of the ball, however, Houston had one of the worst offenses in the league, finishing with a 113.7 offensive rating, which ranked 20th in the league.

It's a perplexing problem, as the Rockets have offensive stars on their roster. Alperen Şengün emerged as the franchise's star last season, averaging 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, establishing himself as one of the best offensive centers in the NBA. In fact, Houston had six players with double-digit scoring averages, so why did the Rockets struggle so much with the ball in their hands?

Shooting was the biggest problem. Despite Şengün and Fred VanVleet combining for 13.1 assists per game, Houston shot just 45.9% from the field (27th) and 35.2% from deep (23rd). The Rockets simply didn't have a knockdown shooter, but it seems like that may change with a new addition to the team.

Reed Sheppard was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and is expected to have an immediate impact on a team that nearly made the Play-In Tournament at 41-41 last season. Sheppard, a 6-foot-3 guard out of Kentucky, displayed amazing two-way abilities in college and the NBA Summer League.

Reed Sheppard Summer League Averages:
22.5 pts
5 reb
6 ast
3 stl
2 blk
56.3% fg
45.5% 3p

— Jalperen Sengreen (@BenchPtsChamp) July 15, 2024

With the Wildcats, Sheppard averaged 12.5 points on an incredible 52.1% three-point percentage. On the other side of the ball, Sheppard averaged 2.5 steals per game, leading the SEC. While his defense is going to add to the Rockets' bench, Sheppard could see plenty of time on the floor due to his shooting.

Does Sheppard single-handedly solve the Rockets' shooting struggles? No, because one man can't fix everything. But it certainly wins Houston more games, and if the team had him last season, they may have had a spot in the Play-In, perhaps the playoffs.

To be able to have that dimension of offense in a league defined by spacing is an immense help, and Sheppard will be sure to make an impact with the Rockets this season, as they enter with legitimate playoff aspirations.

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