The Rockets are highly unlikely to sign any new players! Shepard and Amen are expected to partner in the backcourt, with trade evaluations postponed until the deadline.

VanVleet is expected to miss the season due to injury. How will the Rockets respond? According to Lerner from the Houston Chronicle on September 24th Beijing time, the Rockets are unlikely to add players now and will wait until the trade deadline for further evaluation. This suggests the team will look inward to overcome challenges, giving more minutes to three players.

Lerner pointed out that the Rockets have very limited flexibility in the free agent market: they are constrained by the NBA’s first luxury tax threshold for the remainder of the season, and most players have trade restrictions during the first two months. Since signing external players soon isn’t feasible, Shepard, Amen Thompson, and veteran Aaron Holiday will see increased court time. The decision on who will start remains undecided and will be a key focus during training camp.

The Rockets originally intended for Shepard to take on a bigger role, but VanVleet’s injury significantly raises the pressure on the 21-year-old rookie—he must quickly prove his consistent contribution on a championship-contending team.

Can the Rockets still make trades or sign players?

The team has one open roster spot and can apply for a $12.5 million injury exception. However, their salary is capped by the hard cap at $195.9 million, leaving only about $1.25 million in maneuvering room—insufficient even to cover the minimum salary ($2.3 million) for a player with two years of NBA experience.

Additionally, half the players are subject to trade restrictions until December 15 due to new contracts; Steven Adams can’t be traded until December 14, and Jabari Smith not until next summer. Any trade would require taking on more salary, likely involving key rotation players like Durant, Sengun, Eason, or Shepard, which would be too costly for a team building around a young core.

Therefore, the Rockets will most likely start the season with their current roster and reevaluate the market closer to the trade deadline, factoring in VanVleet’s recovery timeline before making decisions.

How will Shepard’s playing time change?

Among the current roster, Shepard’s three-point shooting and playmaking are the closest to VanVleet’s. Another starting guard, Amen, can handle the ball but the team prefers him to excel off-ball (such as cutting from the weak side) rather than being the primary facilitator.

The most probable setup is Shepard and Thompson starting together in the backcourt, Holiday serving as the backup point guard, with Okogie or Tate also sharing some guard minutes.In his rookie season, Shepard shot 33.8% from three-point range (2.7 attempts per game) and averaged 1.4 assists, showing promising potential. He demonstrated faster pace and defensive instincts in the summer league but still needs improvement against high-level competition.

The Rockets also have other options: coach Udoka might start Fini-Smith to boost height and defense, with Amen, Durant, and Sengun sharing ball-handling duties. Even if VanVleet were healthy, Durant and Sengun would handle the ball extensively, and Fini-Smith’s outside shooting could help compensate for some of the three-point firepower.

What does losing VanVleet mean for the Rockets?

VanVleet’s 2024-25 stats aren’t spectacular, but the difference in team performance with and without him is significant: the Rockets’ offensive rating is 115 with him on the floor, dropping to 112.6 when he’s out during the regular season; in the playoffs, it falls from 115.3 to 86.3.

His screening quality stands out—despite being a guard, he efficiently creates opportunities through “inverse pick-and-rolls” with Sengun. Last season, he led all non-centers on the team with 1.6 screen assists per game. Durant can partially fill this tactical role, but it’s challenging for other guards to replicate consistently over time.

Defensively, VanVleet is also underrated—averaging 3.1 deflections and 1.6 steals per game (second on the team behind Eason). Amen is the defensive anchor, but Shepard clearly still has room to grow.

Moreover, VanVleet is the team’s most outspoken leader and an extension of the coaching staff in the locker room. Even when sidelined for a month last season due to an ankle injury, he remained vocal. Despite being out this season, his influence remains vital, but adapting to game rhythms without him will be a major challenge for the team.

In short, VanVleet’s season-ending injury casts a shadow over the Rockets’ championship hopes. In the short term, they must rely on internal development. Shepard’s growth pace will directly impact the team’s competitiveness in the Western Conference, and moves made before the trade deadline will determine whether they can return to title contention in the playoffs.