The Houston Rockets have fixed their depth issue at the point guard position. Here is why
Because of Fred VanVleet’s severe ACL tear last season, the Houston Rockets lacked depth at the point guard position. A couple of summer signings have fixed this issue.
On July 10th 2026, Houston officially signed Marcus Smart on a two-year contract, and is expected to be the primary backup to Fred VanVleet. Smart already has a strong rapport with Houston's coach Ime Udoka, as they worked together for the Boston Celtics during the 2021-2022 NBA season.
During the 2021-22 season, Udoka brought the Celtics to the NBA Finals, and Smart won Defensive Player of the Year. The relationship that they already have allows for an easy and smooth transition.
Offensively, Smart is primed to be the second unit’s primary ball handler. His high basketball IQ will be utilized to exploit the opposing team’s defense. Smart also has a lot of play-off experience, which is another asset that the Rockets will need if they want to make a deep push and be more competitive in the next postseason.
Houston also traded up during this summer’s draft to sign the 31st overall pick Bruce Thornton. Although I do not expect him to get a lot of minutes in the first half of the season unless the game is a blowout, he has the potential to establish himself as an impact player in the NBA.Thornton was Houston’s best player throughout the NBA Summer League.
Through his leadership, defensive strength, and offensive efficiency in the NBA Summer League, Thornton has showcased that he deserves a role in the NBA regular season.
When Fred VanVleet was injured last season, Sheppard took over for a majority of his minutes. Across the 82 games he played throughout the 2025-26 season, he averaged 13.5 points while shooting 39.4% from three-point range. In doing so, he has emerged as one of the most efficient perimeter shooters on the team.
Not only did Sheppard prove his worth on the offense, but he also displayed his value on the defensive end by averaging 1.5 steals per game along with .7 blocks per game. He earned himself a defensive rating of 113.2, proving that he is efficient on both ends of the floor.
Fred VanVleet is also expected to be ready for the start of the upcoming season, after missing the entire 2025-26 season due to a severe ACL tear. VanVleet is slated to be Houston’s starting point guard. He consistently has a very high assist-to-turnover ratio: he finished 4th overall in the entire NBA with a 4.76 ratio in the 2024-25 season, and had a 3.73 ratio in the following season. His impressive assist-to-turnover ratio displays not only his IQ but also his elite situational control.
With all of these players able to play their part when called upon, Houston's now has newfound depth at the point guard position. Will these improvements be enough to win a trophy in this upcoming season?
