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Reed Sheppard  • PG  •  Rockets

Reed Sheppard Expected To Play "Significant Role" For Rockets

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard faces a battle for playing time in his rookie year on a team filled with young talent. However, it is believed that he will have a place in the rotation. "He'll be on the floor," said ESPN's Tim MacMahon about Sheppard on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Podcast. "I think he'll play a significant role as a playmaker off the bench." After landing in Houston as the third pick of this year's draft, Sheppard had an outstanding Summer League campaign. Now it's up to him to prove that he can also do it when it really matters, and it looks like the Rockets will give the 20-year-old Kentucky product plenty of opportunities to showcase his talent.
5 days ago   
Reed Sheppard  • PG  •  Rockets

Reed Sheppard Voted Best Draft Pick By Executives And Scouts

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard has been voted the best draft pick of the 2024 class in a poll conducted by ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo among the NBA's decision-makers. 20 executives and scouts took part in the poll. Sheppard, who was selected third in this year's draft, picked up seven votes to be the "best pick" of the 2024 draft. He was followed by Portland's Donovan Clingan, who received three votes. The No. 1 pick, Zaccharie Risacher from Atlanta, was voted the best by only one person. Sheppard boosted his reputation with outstanding Summer League performances. He averaged 20.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.8 steals in Las Vegas. Big things are expected from Sheppard in the future, with one high-ranking Eastern Conference executive saying that Sheppard has a "chance" to become an All-Star in the future.
Aug 1   
Cam Whitmore  • SF  •  Rockets

Cam Whitmore Continues Domination In Summer League

Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore stood out against the Wizards at both ends of the floor in Sunday's 109-91 Summer League win. The 20-year-old led all scorers with 25 points on 9-for-15 shooting and racked up eight rebounds, four assists, five steals, and one block. Whitmore, who was named the Las Vegas Summer League MVP last year, also produced a dominant two-way performance against the Lakers on Friday. The Villanova product showed a lot of upside after breaking into the rotation during the second half of the season in 2023-24, and it looks like Whitmore could bring even more to the table during his sophomore campaign.
Jul 15   
Reed Sheppard  • PG  •  Rockets

Reed Sheppard Has Another Quality Outing

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard finished Sunday's Summer League win over the Washington Wizards by recording 22 points, adding seven assists, six rebounds, five steals, and one block. After an impressive outing on Friday night, the 2024 No. 3 overall pick had another quality performance on Sunday. Sheppard has had an excellent summer, combining for 45 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds, six steals, and four blocks in two contests. He's also shot 5-for-11 from downtown. Without question, Sheppard's fantasy stock continues to increase, especially since he could see routine minutes with the Rockets during the 2024-25 campaign.
Jul 15   
Reed Sheppard  • PG  •  Rockets

Reed Sheppard Has A Solid Game On Friday

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard scored a team-high 23 points in Friday's Summer League victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. While the rookie had four turnovers, he certainly made up for it, amassing five assists, three blocks, and a steal. He also shot an efficient 4-for-6 from behind the arc. With that said, Sheppard looked great in his unofficial NBA debut, so fantasy managers will continue to watch him closely during his time in Vegas and into the 2024-25 campaign.
Jul 13   
Jeff Green  • PF  •  Rockets

Jeff Green Remaining With Rockets

The Houston Rockets have agreed to a deal with forward Jeff Green. The veteran forward has agreed to a one-year, $9.6 million deal for the 2024-2025 season. Green averaged 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds through 78 games with the Rockets last season. He only played an average of 16.8 minutes per game, which will possibly decrease next season. The Rockets frontcourt is getting more crowded, so this looks like nothing more than a depth move for Houston.
Jul 12   
AJ Griffin  • SF  •  Rockets

AJ Griffin Traded To Rockets

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Atlanta Hawks traded forward AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets in exchange for the 44th pick of the NBA draft on Thursday. Griffin, a 2022 first-round pick out of Duke, had a limited role during his second year in Atlanta, averaging 2.4 points in 8.6 minutes across 20 outings coming off the bench. However, the 20-year-old spent the majority of the year in the G League or sidelined with an injured ankle. As a Rocket, Griffin will not make an impact in fantasy as he will have to battle for playing time.
Jun 27   
Fred VanVleet  • PG  •  Rockets

Fred VanVleet Sits Out Friday

Houston Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet (hip) will miss Friday's contest against Portland. He gets the night off because of a right hip contusion after erupting for a season-high 42 points on Thursday versus Utah. VanVleet's absence will likely open the door for Aaron Holiday to join the starting unit, although Jalen Green and Amen Thompson will be the biggest beneficiaries in the situation. Both should get more playmaking opportunities and shots. Green ate up just 19 minutes on Thursday and should be eager to perform well in a favorable matchup.
Apr 12   
Cam Whitmore  • SF  •  Rockets

Cam Whitmore Returns With Minutes Restriction

Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (ankle) will rejoin the action on Sunday versus Dallas but will carry a minutes restriction. His playing time will be capped at around 20 minutes as Houston doesn't want to push Whitmore too hard after seeing him miss nine games with a sprained knee. The 19-year-old has actually averaged 17.8 minutes for his rookie campaign, so Whitmore could still be able to provide his normal production. He's posted 12.1 points and 3.9 rebounds for the season. Whitmore's return could rob a few minutes off Amen Thompson, but he's played very well lately and should continue to carry plenty of fantasy value.
Mar 31   
Jabari Smith Jr.  • PF  •  Rockets

Jabari Smith Jr. Suspended For Monday's Game

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. will miss Monday's game against Portland with a suspension. He was handed a one-game suspension for his altercation with Utah's Kris Dunn on Saturday. Smith Jr's absence will be a major blow for the playoff-chasing Rockets, who have racked up eight consecutive victories. Following Alperen Sengun's (ankle) injury, Smith Jr. has filled the starting center role. With him now sidelined, Jeff Green and Jock Landale should share the minutes at the five positions. Green is the more attractive fantasy option of the two and played great after Smith Jr.'s early exit at the weekend, scoring 21 points and registering four rebounds with a pair of blocks. A meeting with Portland could also be fruitful for him, as the Trail Blazers are allowing opposing centers to shoot 60.6 percent from the field.
Mar 25   
Alperen Sengün  • C  •  Rockets

Alperen Sengun Could Miss Rest Of The Season

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (ankle) was diagnosed with a Grade 3 right ankle sprain. In addition, he also has a bone bruise in his right knee. Sengun's injury could have been much worse. However, the 21-year-old is expected to miss "several weeks" and is unlikely to return before the end of the regular season. Houston is grasping and clawing to make the Play-In, so fantasy managers might not see Sengun back on the floor unless the Rockets make a deep postseason run. The 2021 No. 16 overall pick has established himself as one of the NBA's best big men in his third year in the league. He's appeared in 63 games, amassing 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals, all significantly higher than last season. At any rate, while Sengun remains on the shelf, Houston could play small ball, meaning Jabari Smith Jr. would handle most of the work at the five. Jock Landale, coming off an 11-point, five-assist, two-steal showing on Tuesday versus the Spurs, should also maintain a firm grasp on a spot in the rotation.
Mar 13   
Cam Whitmore  • SF  •  Rockets

Cam Whitmore Out "Roughly" Three Weeks

Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (knee) will miss about three weeks as the season winds down. Whitmore is dealing with a sore right knee sprain that already had him ruled out for Tuesday's game against the San Antonio Spurs. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka confirmed that Whitmore will be out for "roughly three weeks" and will be re-evaluated around that time. The rookie averages 12.1 points on 46% shooting from the field, with 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 three-pointers made per game. Whitmore's absence should open more minutes for reserve forwards Jeff Green and Jae'Sean Tate. Fellow rookie Amen Thompson is already bound for a bigger role after getting slotted into the starting lineup in place of injured center Alperen Sengun, and this only helps his value.
Mar 13   
Alperen Sengün  • C  •  Rockets

Alperen Sengun Avoids Serious Injury

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (knee, ankle) suffered a scary injury during Sunday's game against the Sacramento Kings. The big man injured his leg and needed a wheelchair to help transport him back to the locker room. At first glance, it appeared Sengun suffered a significant leg injury. He has been diagnosed with a right knee bone bruise and a severely sprained right ankle. It looks like the Rockets dodged a bullet, but his timetable is still unknown right now. Jock Landale figures to be the one replacing Sengun in the starting five. Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore should also see additional minutes coming their way. Fantasy managers might want to use a wait-and-see approach right away.
Mar 12   
Fred VanVleet  • PG  •  Rockets

Fred VanVleet Leads Houston To Victory Sunday

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet helped lead his team to a 122-104 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. The veteran point guard was on the court for 38 minutes, recording 22 points (5-of-8 FGs, 10-of-10 FTs) while grabbing four rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and two 3-pointers. VanVleet has been on fire lately, collecting 21 points in three of the last five Rockets contests. Despite a low field-goal percentage for most of the season, the 30-year-old remains a valuable asset to fantasy managers who have him rostered.
Mar 11   
Alperen Sengün  • C  •  Rockets

Alperen Sengun Wheelchaired Off On Sunday

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (knee/ankle) had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair during the fourth quarter of their game against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. The up-and-coming big man seemingly suffered a bad knee injury and wasn't able to get up for a while. He ultimately couldn't put any weight on his leg which called for the wheelchair to come out. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the team will perform an MRI on both his right knee and ankle, so fantasy managers will have to stay tuned. If he has to miss extended time, the next center on the depth chart is Jock Landale. Jeff Green has also seen some minutes at center and Boban Marjanovic is their third option.
Mar 11   
Jeff Green  • PF  •  Rockets

Jeff Green Questionable With Knee Pain

Houston Rockets forward Jeff Green (knee) is in danger of missing his second consecutive game since he's listed as questionable with knee pain. The veteran forward has only been a streaming option this year as his minutes would go up once the Rockets started suffering more injuries. As long as the main rotation is healthy, Green hasn't received enough opportunities to make him a quality fantasy play. If he's unable to play, Jabari Smith Jr. and Cam Whitmore should both get a slight boost in minutes while Jae'Sean Tate could see some more opportunities off of the bench.
Mar 8   
Jeff Green  • PF  •  Rockets

Jeff Green Sits Out Wednesday's Game

Houston Rockets forward/center Jeff Green (knee) won't be in the lineup as the team completes a back-to-back set against the Clippers on Wednesday. The veteran has come through previous back-to-backs with no issues, but left knee pain will end his run of 19 consecutive appearances. Green logged only six minutes against San Antonio on Tuesday and carries next to no fantasy value, but he's been a great veteran leader for the young Rockets and an extra body to throw into action if needed. The 37-year-old will get his first chance to return to action on Friday versus Portland.
Mar 6   
Jabari Smith Jr.  • PF  •  Rockets

Jabari Smith Jr. Good To Go Wednesday

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (illness) will play on Wednesday against the Clippers. The talented Auburn product has been battling an illness and initially landed on the injury report with a questionable tag, but he has been upgraded to available. However, how effective Smith Jr. can be remains to be seen. He already struggled to perform in Tuesday's matchup against San Antonio, recording only two points and three rebounds in 25 minutes. Wednesday's matchup is also a tough one for Smith Jr. and the Rockets, as the Clippers have developed into a very good defensive team.
Mar 6   
Tari Eason  • SF  •  Rockets

Tari Eason To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (leg) is set to undergo season-ending surgery on Monday, according to head coach Ime Udoka. He continued by saying a benign growth was found on Eason's left shinbone. It's believed to be a pain-tolerance issue, but the team has ultimately decided to have the second-year forward undergo surgery. Given recent history, Eason faces around a four-month recovery timetable. He's expected to be ready in time for next season. In the meantime, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore should continue seeing additional playing time.
Mar 3   
Jalen Green  • SG  •  Rockets

Jalen Green Available For Houston

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (illness) is available Thursday against the Suns. Green has yet to miss a game this season. However, he has struggled in recent weeks. The 22-year-old has been used sparingly for Houston as he hasn't been the team's six-man lately. In 58 games, the guard logs 30.3 minutes and averages 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per contest.
Mar 1   
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