Reed Sheppard

Rockets Rumors: Adams, Lopez, VanVleet, Holiday, Durant, More

June 3rd, 2025 at 9:18am CST by Luke Adams

A handful of Rockets veterans, including Steven Adams, Jeff Green, and Jae’Sean Tate, are headed for unrestricted free agency this summer. Of those UFAs, Adams is viewed as the team’s “clear priority,” sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that Green and/or Tate won’t be back, but they may be minimum-salary options for Houston, whereas it will almost certainly take more than that to re-sign Adams, who became an important part of the club’s rotation late in the season. The Rockets are operating under the assumption that the veteran center wants to return, Iko writes, and are expected to continue talking to him about a new contract.

Adams is extension-eligible now and could be signed to a new deal prior to free agency, but if the two sides can’t work something out, Houston may circle back to Brook Lopez, team sources tell Iko. Lopez was a top Rockets target during the 2023 free agent period and came close to making the move to Houston at that time before deciding to remain in Milwaukee.

The Rockets also hold team options for 2025/26 on a pair of guards: Fred VanVleet ($44.9MM) and Aaron Holiday ($4.9MM). The expectation is that VanVleet will return to Houston, either on his team option or on a new contract, Iko writes. The Rockets are also interested in retaining Holiday, but that doesn’t necessarily mean his option will be picked up — the club may wait to get a better sense of how its offseason and the league-wide market are playing out before making a decision on the reserve guard, Iko explains.

Here’s more from Iko on the Rockets:

While Houston would like to keep its young core together, the team is willing to consider the possibility of a significant trade. Giannis Antetokounmpo is considered a top target, though it remains to be seen whether the Bucks will actually make him available, Iko writes. The Suns, conversely, have made multiple calls to the Rockets since the end of the season about the possibility of a deal that sends Kevin Durant to Houston and sends some of the Suns’ draft assets back to Phoenix, team sources tell The Athletic. The asking price for Durant has been “gradually lowered” over the course of those calls, according to Iko, who says the Rockets would be interested if the price is modest enough, despite their desire to keep their core intact.
The Rockets also anticipate having trade conversations with the Celtics‘ front office this summer, given Boston’s reported desire to reduce its payroll, says Iko.
The expectation is that Reed Sheppard will have a “vastly expanded role” in 2025/26 after playing sparingly as a rookie, Iko reports. The Rockets remain very high on last year’s No. 3 overall pick, viewing him as a player whose floor-spacing abilities can help in the short term and whose long-term ceiling is high.
Houston has received inquiries from rivals about former first-rounder Cam Whitmore, as well as this year’s No. 10 overall pick, per Iko. The Rockets remain optimistic about Whitmore’s outlook and potential rotation role, and neither he nor his representatives have asked for a change of scenery, so nothing is imminent on that front, Iko reports. As for this year’s lottery pick, Houston is open to discussing a variety of scenarios, including trading down, trading out of the first round, or packaging that pick with a player to upgrade the roster.
Although the Rockets’ front office is expected to engage in rookie scale extension negotiations with Jabari Smith and Tari Eason this offseason, team sources tell Iko that the club would be comfortable with the idea of matching an offer sheet for either player in 2026 if no agreements are reached this year.

Southwest Notes: Williamson, Mavs, Whitmore, Sheppard, Spurs

May 12th, 2025 at 7:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It may not seem like a big deal but the fact that Zion Williamson represented the Pelicans at the draft lottery may have important implications, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack post.

That’s not the sort of role you ask a star player to take on if you’re looking to trade him, Stein notes. There has been been plenty of speculation regarding Williamson’s status within the organization, particularly after ownership overhauled the front office and put Joe Dumars in the lead executive role.

The Pelicans wound up dropping to the No. 7 pick in the draft following the lottery results.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

With Kyrie Irving on the mend, the Mavericks will likely need two point guards to stabilize that position for next season, according to Yossi Gozlan of ThirdApron.com (Substack link). One of those players will likely have to be acquired via trade. Of course, their lottery luck alters their outlook dramatically. As Gozlan tweets, they’ll now have a loaded cap sheet but they’ll be active this summer. Gozlan held an in-depth discussion with Dallas beat writer Grant Afseth that was posted on YouTube.
It’s fair to wonder where Cam Whitmore and Reed Sheppard stand in terms of the Rockets’ long-term plans, considering their spotty playing time this season. Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle points out that Whitmore, the No. 20 overall pick in 2023, played in 51 games but averaged fewer minutes per night in his second season (16.2) than he did as a rookie (18.7). Sheppard, last year’s No. 3 overall pick, appeared in 52 games and averaged 12.6 MPG.
The Spurs hold the second and 14th picks in the aftermath of the draft lottery. LJ Ellis of SpursTalk.com reveals his first big board of picks 1-14 for the team, which includes some surprises.

Rockets Notes: Offseason, Durant, VanVleet, Whitmore, Sheppard

May 6th, 2025 at 3:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Even after winning 52 games and claiming the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, the Rockets didn’t see themselves as a legitimate championship contender this spring, says Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

The Rockets, making their first playoff appearance since 2020, knew the top-seeded Thunder were much further along in their title chase, according to Fischer, who writes that Houston’s goal this season was similar to Oklahoma City’s in the last year or two — evaluating a roster heavy on recent lottery picks to collect data and get a better sense of which players are long-term keepers and which ones might not be.

With their postseason run over, the Rockets will now have to weigh whether or not to pursue a major move on the trade market this summer, Fischer writes, noting that the team is expected to bring back most of its core and “proceed judiciously” going forward. General manager Rafael Stone didn’t contradict Fischer’s reporting when he spoke to the media on Tuesday.

“The business we’re in, nobody’s untouchable,” Stone said (Twitter link via Kelly Iko of The Athletic). “But we deeply value everyone on our roster. We have those (extra draft) picks, we accumulated them so we could draft guys or upgrade our current roster. We’ll see what makes the most sense.”

As Fischer details, pundits figure to repeatedly link Suns forward Kevin Durant to Houston this summer for a number of reasons — the Rockets control several Phoenix draft assets; Durant played college ball at Texas and played in Oklahoma City alongside close friend and Rockets assistant Royal Ivey; and Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was an assistant during KD’s time in Brooklyn. However, Fischer insists that “more indications than not” suggests Houston’s interest in Durant has been overstated.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

After Fred VanVleet and Udoka expressed a desire to keep the point guard in Houston going forward, Stone declined to comment on any contract specifics on Tuesday, but confirmed that the Rockets want to retain VanVleet. “He’s been the person and player that we hoped we were getting and we’re very optimistic he’ll be with us for the foreseeable future,” Stone said, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
In a story for The Houston Chronicle (subscription required), Lerner poses five burning questions facing the Rockets this offseason, starting with whether or not they keep VanVleet and whether they’ll pursue a star. Lerner also considers whether Houston will extend Tari Eason and Jabari Smith, which of their own free agents they’ll try to re-sign, and how much this year’s draft matters to the team.
The Magic and Rockets share many of the same strengths and weaknesses, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who suggests that both teams will be in the market for offensive upgrades this offseason. However, there appears to be one key difference between the two clubs, as Hollinger observes — Orlando needs to strengthen its supporting cast around star forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, while Houston still needs to find an alpha dog, either inside or outside of the organization.
Within his analysis of the Rockets’ future, Hollinger points out that the team may soon need to make decisions on whether a pair of little-used rotation players are keepers. Former first-round pick Cam Whitmore has shown flashes of real promise, but hasn’t played consistently, while last year’s No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard spent most of his rookie season on the bench even though the organization reportedly thinks very highly of him. “We have had in-depth conversations with Cam probably more than anybody,” Udoka said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Lerner). “… Ton of potential there, but consistency is the main thing and he knows that.”

Rockets In Search Of ‘Elite Offensive Engine’

April 30th, 2025 at 2:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets will need more from Jalen Green in Game 5 against Golden State if they want to stave off elimination on Wednesday, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic. As Iko details, an aggressive Warriors defensive game plan has been a problem for Green, who went off for 38 points in Houston’s Game 2 win but has scored just 24 total points on 10-of-34 shooting in the team’s three losses and wasn’t on the court during crunch time in Game 4.

“It’s his first experience in the playoffs, and teams throw different looks at you,” teammate Fred VanVleet said after the Rockets’ Game 4 loss. “There’s a lot of ups and downs. There’s a lot that you have to deal with, and I’m proud of how far he’s come since I’ve been here as a player. But we need him to be playing at his best and at a high level, and he takes our team to a different gear. So we’ll look at the film and see how we can help him be more effective.”

According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Green’s struggles in his first playoff series have once again highlighted the fact that the 52-win Rockets are missing the “elite offensive engine that all great teams need.” While the roster, built on defense and toughness, feature a handful of solid scorers, it lacks the sort of dynamic offensive player who can be trusted to get a big basket in a half-court situation with the game on the line.

“We know in the playoffs sometimes, it boils down to if you have an unguardable guy in the last five minutes that can close the game,” VanVleet told ESPN. “We got everything else. I don’t think it’s like some savior that’s going to come here and save all our sins, but it’s like, do you have a guy you could throw it to the last five minutes in a playoff series that can win you games when it matters the most? I think that if we had that, I think we would be considered more title favorites.”

As MacMahon outlines, the Rockets are still holding out hope that one of their rising stars can become that sort of player rather than focusing on bringing in someone from outside the organization. “We are not in the business of predetermining ceilings for our players,” general manager Rafael Stone recently told MacMahon.

“We’re all on the same page as far as what we have in our organization and wanting to see it through and seeing what all these young guys can become,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka added. “When you have this many high draft picks, you want to see who becomes what. I understood when I came to take the job that we were going to try to develop these guys and see what we can get to. I think they’ve all shown growth and potential. And the next step is, who can be that consistent leader for us?

“So to try to expedite the process by going out and getting one piece now is kind of doing a disservice to what we all talked about coming into it. That’s our vision, and I think the playoffs this year will give us a good picture of that and put guys in different situations and high-pressure situations to see how they react to it.”

Green is one young player whom the Rockets still believe has untapped potential. He has averaged over 20 points per game through his first four NBA seasons, but he hasn’t always scored those points efficiently or consistently. Still, VanVleet thinks it would be hard for Houston to find another shooting guard with the 23-year-old’s “upside or talent level.”

“I don’t know what Jalen will look like when he’s 26, 27, 28 after playoff series,” VanVleet told ESPN. “And that’s the upside, where it’s like potential can get a little intoxicating. He has the talent. There’s no reason for him not to reach that level. He’s got to go through it; he’s got to fail.”

Based on his production through four seasons, 22-year-old center Alperen Sengun has earned comparisons to Nikola Jokic or – more realistically – Domantas Sabonis, as MacMahon notes. Rockets front office staffers have also mulled the idea of whether 22-year-old Amen Thompson, who is considered untouchable in trades, could eventually run the offense as a Russell Westbrook-type point guard, according to MacMahon.

“He’s already become a really good NBA player,” Stone said of Thompson. “He should be much, much better than this year next year, and that should go on for the foreseeable future. Great kid, works really hard, is really smart. Everything we’ve asked him to do, he’s done. He’s done it quickly and at times shockingly easily.”

Meanwhile, even though 2024’s third overall pick Reed Sheppard didn’t play much as a rookie, there are some people within the organization who believe he has the most offensive upside of any of the Rockets’ youngsters and has the potential to become a star, per MacMahon.

“I think Reed’s just a really, really talented player,” Stone said. “Very few people shoot as well as him. Very few people pass as well as him, and more even than pass, see the offense so clearly and so easily. That’s not really a skill that is taught, not at the level he can do it. We think that he has a chance to be really special.”

Because they want to see what their current young core becomes, the Rockets have held off on entering the fray for any of the stars who have become available on the trade market in the past year. But as MacMahon points out, turning to the trade market would be a solid Plan B for a Houston team that could put together a very appealing package for any star using some combinations of its draft assets and young players.

Patrick Fertitta, who is the son of team owner Tilman Fertitta and works with the Rockets’ basketball operations department, told MacMahon there’s “no question in my mind” that there are players on the current roster capable of becoming the best player on a championship team. “With that being said,” he added, “any time a guy at that level becomes available, it would be remiss not to do your due diligence.”

While Stone, Udoka, and the Fertittas are committed to letting the Rockets’ young core continue to grow together, there’s an expectation that the front office will at least have internal discussions this offseason about pursuing a star via trade, according to MacMahon, who observes that Kevin Durant, Zion Williamson, and perhaps even Giannis Antetokounmpo are among the impact players who could become available this summer.

Will the results of this first-round playoff series significantly impact the Rockets’ thinking as the front office weighs roster changes in the coming months?

“Probably a little bit but not a lot,” Stone told Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required) earlier this month. “I’m definitely a believer in getting a lot of information and the playoffs will tell us a little bit about our team, but 82 games tell you a lot. … Every big intense game tells us a little bit more than just an average game, but it’s still just a game or series, and definitely not the case where you want to let a small sample size overwhelm a big one.”

Patrick Fertitta agreed that it wouldn’t be in the team’s best interests to weigh the postseason too heavily.

“This league and this business is a very emotional one,” he told ESPN. “There’s the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, and it’s important that you don’t make wholesale changes, or even changes on the margins, based on emotion. … Even though it can be exciting to feel like you are as close as you may be, it’s important to move with the same level of patience that got us to where we are and to make sure that we’re always making decisions based on not just today but the future.”

And-Ones: Luka Trade Offers, Coaches, Lithuania, Howard

April 9th, 2025 at 8:50am CST by Rory Maher

In an article for ESPN.com (Insider link), Bobby Marks examines what the other 28 NBA teams could hypothetically have offered the Mavericks for Luka Doncic, who was sent to the Lakers in February in arguably the most stunning trade in NBA history.

Marks’ exercise comes with a couple of caveats. The first is that a Doncic trade may have fallen apart had every team been able to make a bid for the superstar guard, which is why Dallas was so determined to keep its talks with Los Angeles quiet. The second is that the hypothetical offers are based on each team’s financial restrictions as of February 1, the day before the trade.

Which teams could have offered the Mavericks the most compelling combinations of win-now players and draft assets? According to Marks, the Cavaliers (Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, 2031 unprotected first-round pick) and Rockets (Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith, Reed Sheppard, unprotected first-round picks in 2025 and 2027 via Phoenix) could have put the best packages together for Doncic (Cleveland would have been required to take back Maxi Kleber as well for salary-matching purposes, Marks notes).

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

In a story that was released before the Nuggets fired Michael Malone, Zach Harper of The Athletic listed four other head coaches who could be on the hot seat, with Mike Budenholzer of the Suns considered the most likely to be dismissed.
Confirming a report from BasketNews.com, Linas Kleiza said on his podcast (YouTube link) that Domantas Sabonis is unlikely to compete in this summer’s EuroBasket due to personal reasons (hat tip to EuroHoops.net). Kleiza, a former NBA player who is now general manager of the Lithuanian national team, also said that Jonas Valaniunas and Matas Buzelis are expected to compete in this year’s tournament.
Georgia businessman Calvin Darden Jr. was recently sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for cheating former NBA star Dwight Howard out of $7MM in a phony scheme to purchase the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream, reports Philip Marcelo of The Associated Press. Darden was also convicted of stealing $1MM from former NBA forward Chandler Parsons in a separate scam. Darden was found guilty in October of wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering charges.

Southwest Notes: Missi, Reeves, Sheppard, Castle

March 29th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

Amid everything that has gone wrong for the Pelicans this season, they seem to have found a long-term solution at center, writes William Guillory of The Athletic. They weren’t expecting an immediate impact from Yves Missi after he fell to the 21st pick in last year’s draft, but he’s been proving since training camp that he can contribute and may be headed for a spot on the All-Rookie team.

Guillory notes that the Pelicans were planning to open the season with a starting lineup that didn’t include a traditional center. If that didn’t work, they signed veteran big man Daniel Theis as a backup plan. But Missi quickly showed that he could handle the job, and he’s started 62 of the 68 games he’s played.

“He’s been a huge positive for us all year. Coming into the season, his role wasn’t where it is now, but he kept working, kept earning trust from the coaching staff and his teammates,” coach Willie Green said. “Even though we haven’t been that successful as a team this year, Yves’ development has been a big success for us.”

Missi is averaging 9.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 26.9 minutes per night. Guillory points out that he leads all rookies in total rebounds, is tied with Miami’s Kel’el Ware for the most double-doubles, and is behind only Portland’s Donovan Clingan in blocked shots. The injury woes that decimated the Pelicans’ season will continue, with Dejounte Murray, Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy all uncertain for the start of training camp this fall, but they can count on Missi’s presence in the middle.

“It’s tough. It’s different than anything I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Missi said of his rookie season. “The funny thing is, looking back to (the start of the season), if you told me then, ‘Yeah, you’re going to do this and that during your rookie year,’ no way I would’ve believed it.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Rookie guard Antonio Reeves wasn’t aware that he made 12 straight shots over a recent three-game stretch, but that shooting touch is a major reason why the Pelicans drafted him, per Rod Walker of NOLA. The second-round pick has split the season between the NBA and the G League, but he’s been getting more playing time with New Orleans lately. “He’s doing fantastic,” Green said. “The thing he’s doing is building on what he already has. He really comes in and works on his shots. We see that carry over when he does play. And he’s becoming a really good defender.”
After missing 11 straight games with a fractured right thumb, Rockets rookie guard Reed Sheppard has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s contest, according to Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. Sheppard has been struggling to earn playing time all season, and he’s not guaranteed any minutes as Houston tries to hold on to second place in the West. “We’ll see,” coach Ime Udoka said. “(The rotation) does tighten toward the end of the season, for sure, and kind of implementing him back in there in these last eight (games) might be tough with the time he’s missed. But we also do want to see him get some live action. So whether he gets some practices in the G League or whatever it is to get that in, being that we don’t do as much here, we’ll see.”
Spurs guard Stephon Castle continued his push for Rookie of the Year honors on Thursday with 22 points, a season-high 11 rebounds, and eight assists in a narrow loss to Cleveland, notes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express News. “He kept us in the game at moments,” Keldon Johnson said. “It’s only up from here. I feel like he’s already a special talent, but I feel like the sky’s the limit for Steph. I feel like the game is already slowing down for him, but once he keeps growing — he works his ass off — he’s going to be great.”

Injury/Health Notes: Lillard, Tatum, Jokic, Sheppard

March 26th, 2025 at 7:55am CST by Luke Adams

After initially being listed as out last week due to calf soreness, Damian Lillard was experiencing discomfort and pain inconsistent with a typical calf strain, according to Eric Nehm and Sam Amick of The Athletic, who hear from a source that the Bucks guard sought clarity on the cause.

That prompted a “rigorous discovery process” that ultimately involved Lillard meeting with five of the country’s top hematologists, either in person or via Zoom, with each of those specialists receiving his MRIs and sonograms. Lillard, who was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his calf, began taking blood thinners last Friday, per The Athletic’s source, and the early indications are that the treatment is working well.

In a separate story for The Athletic, Nehm explores how the Bucks will get by without Lillard, noting that leaning on defense is probably their best path forward. That effort begins with having a strong perimeter defender like Ryan Rollins starting in place of Lillard.

“Obviously, nobody is going to be Dame but Dame,” Bucks center Brook Lopez said earlier this week. “But (Rollins) has done a great job coming in, being himself and finding a niche, that like Dame, only he can do. It’s specifically Ryan. He comes out there and he makes a difference in his way. He gets into guys, defends them full-court, picks up 94 feet.”

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

The Celtics‘ injury report for Wednesday’s game in Phoenix is another sign that Jayson Tatum‘s ankle injury isn’t significant. Tatum isn’t expected to play vs. the Suns, but he hasn’t officially been ruled out yet — he’s listed as doubtful (Twitter link).
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who has missed the team’s past five games, has been upgraded to doubtful for Wednesday’s matchup with Milwaukee (Twitter link via DNVR Sports). Jokic’s initial injury report designation last week indicated he was dealing with both a right elbow contusion and a left ankle impingement, but only the ankle issue is still listed, which suggests the elbow is no longer a problem.
Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard, out since March 6 with a fracture in his right thumb, had a scan on Sunday that showed good calcification around the fractured bone, according to head coach Ime Udoka, who said on Tuesday that Sheppard would be reevaluated in four or five days. Sheppard is still wearing a splint on the thumb part-time, but he takes it off when he works out, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Southwest Notes: Edwards, Nunez, McCollum, Sheppard, Morant

March 24th, 2025 at 7:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Two-way Mavericks player Kessler Edwards is expected to be active for the 50th time this season on Tuesday against the Knicks, NBA insider Marc Stein tweets.

That will make Edwards ineligible to be activated again this season under a two-way deal. The hard-capped Mavs can sign him to a standard contract on April 10. The team can’t do it any sooner because it’s only about $51K away from its first-apron hard cap.

Edwards has appeared in 39 games (17 starts), averaging 4.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per contest.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Spurs have been keeping close tabs on stash-and-draft prospect Juan Nunez, Eurohoops.net relays. “I know we’ve had a lot of people visiting him in Spain and interacting with the Barcelona organization,” interim head coach Mitch Johnson told Mundo Deportivo. “We have a great relationship from everything I’ve heard, that’s what I know about it. I know we’re very aligned in terms of his development and experience there, and we want to continue helping him grow as a young player.” The 36th pick of last year’s draft, Nunez recorded 25 EuroLeague appearances for Barcelona, averaging 5.0 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game. The point guard’s season was cut short by a knee injury.
Following a 40-point outing against the Pistons, Pelicans guard CJ McCollum was rested in the second game of a back-to-back on Monday, according to a team press release. Bruce Brown (return to play reconditioning) and Zion Williamson (low back contusion) were also listed among the players who were ruled out against injury-riddled Philadelphia.
Rockets lottery pick Reed Sheppard did some shooting at practice without a brace on his fractured thumb, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle tweets. He was injured on March 7 and was expected to miss at least four weeks. He’ll still be out for at least another week, Lerner adds.
Ja Morant will miss his fifth straight game due to a hamstring strain when the Grizzlies face Utah on Tuesday, the team’s PR department tweets.

Reed Sheppard Out At Least Four Weeks With Thumb Fracture

March 8th, 2025 at 6:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rockets rookie guard Reed Sheppard will miss at least the next four weeks due to a fracture in his right thumb, writes Sam Warren of The Houston Chronicle.

Meeting with reporters before tonight’s game, coach Ime Udoka said Sheppard hurt the thumb while “slapping down” in an attempt to steal the ball from the Pelicans’ Zion Williamson during Thursday’s contest. Sheppard was able to continue playing after the contact and his hand wasn’t bandaged following the game, according to Warren.

Udoka said Sheppard will have his thumb in a splint for the next four weeks to give the fracture time to heal. He added that it’s fortunate that the fracture occurred in the top joint of the thumb, rather than the lower joint, which would have carried a longer recovery timeline.

With a little more than five weeks remaining in the regular season, Sheppard may not be able to return before the start of the playoffs.

The No. 3 pick in last year’s draft, Sheppard got off to a slow start and was sent to the G League for a few games in the middle of the season. He has been more productive since being called back up to the NBA in early February, averaging 11.8 minutes and 4.0 points per game over the past month and scoring a career-high 25 points Monday at Oklahoma City.

Sheppard was selected to appear in the Rising Stars event at All-Star Weekend. For the season, he’s averaging 3.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 45 games while shooting 33.2% from the field and 27.9% from three-point range.

Southwest Notes: K. Jones, Whitmore, Sheppard, J. Green, Wembanyama

March 5th, 2025 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

It only took one game for Kai Jones to join the Mavericks‘ long injured list, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Jones, who signed a two-way contract on Monday, was ruled out of tonight’s game at Milwaukee about an hour before tipoff due to a quad strain.

Jones had a productive debut with Dallas Monday night, coming off the bench to score 21 points and grab eight rebounds in 34 minutes. He provides a much-needed addition to the front court with Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively sidelined by injuries. All three are set to be reevaluated on Thursday, but it’s possible none of them will be close to returning.

Even without the injury, Jones’ availability would have been limited because of the restrictions that come with his two-way contract. His 50-game limit is pro-rated, so he can only be active 11 more times for the rest of the season unless the Mavs convert him to a standard deal, which they can’t do until April 10 because of their hard cap situation.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Cam Whitmore and Reed Sheppard were both outstanding on Monday at Oklahoma City as the Rockets were missing five rotation players, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Whitmore had 27 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks, while Sheppard contributed 25 points and five assists. Both players have been on the fringe of Houston’s rotation lately and were happy to get the opportunity. “It felt great,” Sheppard said. “Just getting the chance to be out there and play. It was a lot of fun getting a rhythm and flow, up and down. Being able to knock down some shots and get some assists. Really fun game. We didn’t win and that part sucks, but being out there with the guys and battling was fun.”
Rockets guard Jalen Green has gotten better at protecting the ball while improving his play-making skills, Iko adds. Green averaged 4.4 assists per game in February, the best one-month performance of his career, and he’s in the 54th percentile in turnover percentage while being in the 99th percentile in usage rate. “It’s a process that he improved on last year,” coach Ime Udoka said. “But understanding — especially on a night where guys are missing — he’s going to be the focal point of a defense. Continue to work on it, improve in that area. It’s something we’ve really stressed to him and he’s gotten better at.”
Mark Medina of Sportskeeda talked with several doctors who specialize in blood clots about their prognosis for Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. Those medical experts are guardedly optimistic that Wembanyama will be able to recover and return to a normal playing schedule next season.

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