Reed Sheppard

And-Ones: Hollis-Jefferson, LeBron, Sophomores, G. Arenas

July 31st, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

After recently going viral on NBA Twitter for a tweet in which he made his case for an NBA roster spot, veteran forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson spoke to Cyro Asseo of HoopsHype about his quest to get back into the league.

“I feel like, given the time I was in the NBA, I think it was very important for me to self-reflect and think about all the things that I could have done differently that kind of shaped me into the person I am today,” Hollis-Jefferson said. “I was just sitting there the other day thinking about it. I was thinking about it all, man. Just where I’m at, how far I’ve come, the growth, the experiences, everything that I’ve been through.

“… It was one of those days where your wheels are turning. And I said, man, I should be in the NBA, dude. I know everyone knows how hard I work, how much I care about basketball, but that’s really where it stemmed from.”

A first-round pick in 2015, Hollis-Jefferson appeared in 305 regular season games for three teams from 2015-21. While he has been out of the NBA for four years, he has continued to compete in professional leagues around the world, spending time in Turkey, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the Philippines, and Lebanon.

Still just 30 years old, Hollis-Jefferson says a desire to be closer to home is a big part of the reason why he’d love to make it back to the NBA.

“Just wanting to be on that big stage and really, really wanting to be closer to home, to be closest to my kids,” he said. “It’s one thing for them to take a max five-hour flight to, say, California, versus a 20-hour travel day to Asia or somewhere else.”

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

Despite some speculation that a recent meeting between LeBron James, his business partner Maverick Carter, and Nikola Jokic‘s agent Misko Raznatovic was a recruiting trip, they were actually discussing plans for an international basketball league that is being spearheaded by Carter, multiple sources tell Ben Horney, Daniel Roberts, and Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports.
Jeremy Woo of ESPN.com identifies the 10 most interesting second-year NBA players he’ll be watching in 2025/26. Woo’s list includes first-year standouts, like reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, players recovering from major injuries, such as Thunder guard Nikola Topic and Sixers guard Jared McCain, and youngsters who will be in line for major role increases as sophomores, including Rockets guard Reed Sheppard.
Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas was among six people arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of hosting illegal high-stakes poker games at a mansion in Los Angeles owned by Arenas, according to a report from The Associated Press. The press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office detailing the specifics of the case can be found right here.
A man has been found guilty for second-degree murder in the killing of former NBA forward Adreian Payne, per Silas Morgan and Cristobal Reyes of The Orlando Sentinel (susbcription required). Lawrence Alexander Dority, who shot and killed Payne in May 2022, claimed that he thought the 31-year-old was reaching for a gun and cited self-defense, but Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigators concluded Payne didn’t have a weapon on him and that he didn’t pose a threat to Dority, who is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29.

Rockets Notes: Green, Finney-Smith, Durant, Sheppard

July 23rd, 2025 at 5:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former Rockets guard Jalen Green reflected on his time in Houston, along with the trade that sent him to the Suns, in a lengthy post on The Players Tribune. Green was part of the price the Rockets paid, along with Dillon Brooks and the 10th pick in this year’s draft, to acquire Kevin Durant. Although he’s sad to leave the city, Green said he understands the reasoning behind the deal.

“Listen, nobody likes to get traded. But I can honestly say that I get it, bro,” he wrote. “This is a business, and if I was up there in the executive chair, I probably would’ve made the deal, too. I think it’s a better situation for both sides, and I’m just excited to get it popping with Book (Devin Booker), and to create that winning culture that we figured out down here in Houston.”

Selected with the second pick in the 2021 draft, Green represented the first step in the Rockets’ rebuilding process after trading James Harden. He went through a lot of losing during his first two years in Houston, but things turned around in 2023 when Ime Udoka was hired as head coach and Brooks and Fred VanVleet were brought in to change the culture. Green reflected on the growing process that led to a 52-win season and the second seed in the West.

“My rookie year, we won 20 games. Twen-tee, bro,” he added. “Within three years, we had the Toyota Center packed out for a home playoff game. I’ll always be proud of that. To flip it around like that, it’s about culture. We had our young core, but we also had vets like Fred VanVleet — guys who had really won in this league — showing us the way.”

There’s more from Houston:

Dorian Finney-Smith talked about his decision to sign with the Rockets as a free agent in an interview with WAVY-TV during a recent visit to his hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia (hat tip to Ben DuBose of Rockets Wire). “I already know who they are. They play hard,” Finney-Smith said. “Coach Ime is one of the toughest coaches in the league. I’ve never seen him smile much when you’re playing against him. The first time I’ve ever seen him smile was when we had dinner, like two weeks ago. I like that, because I’m a competitor.” Finney-Smith added that he was planning to remain with the Lakers when the offseason began, but he was swayed by the opportunity in Houston.
Durant hasn’t arrived in Houston yet even though it’s been more than a month since the trade was agreed to, Michael Shapiro of Chron.com writes in a story charting the offseason workouts of Rockets players. Durant has been seen at Fanatics Fest in New York City and the Wireless Festival in London, according to Shapiro, who adds that VanVleet recently made a visit to Turkey to train with Alperen Sengun.
The Rockets’ decision to sign free agent wing Josh Okogie rather than another guard is a sign of confidence in their current backcourt players, especially Reed Sheppard, who will be counted on for a larger role after playing sparingly as a rookie, observes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle.

Southwest Notes: Irving, Jones, Sheppard, Kawamura

July 15th, 2025 at 8:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks president of basketball operations Nico Harrison said that Kyrie Irving is ahead of schedule in terms of his rehab from a torn ACL, according to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal.

“Kyrie’s ahead of schedule, but we kind of knew he would be because of the way he attacks his rehab,” Harrison said. “He’s going two or three times a day. As much as he wants to rush it, we don’t want him to. But he’s going to be fine.”

No timetable has been set for Irving’s return but it’s anticipated he’ll back sometime after the New Year. The team added D’Angelo Russell in free agency to handle the point guard duties while Irving is on the mend. Irving signed a three-year, $119MM contract with a player option earlier this month.

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

The Pelicans officially re-signed Herbert Jones to three-year, $68MM extension on Monday. New executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars issued a statement regarding the signing that was relayed by Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link). “Herb Jones exemplifies all the great qualities our team values with his toughness, competitiveness, and commitment to getting better every day. We could not be more excited to sign Herb to this contract extension and keep him in New Orleans for many years to come,” Dumars said.
Several teams have shut down prominent young players during Summer League action. The Rockets did just that with 2024 lottery pick Reed Sheppard, Kelly Iko of The Athletic tweets. Sheppard had a 28-point game against the Clippers’ Summer League squad last week.
Yuki Kawamura spent this past season on the Grizzlies’ roster as a two-way player. He wasn’t extended a qualifying offer and subsequently was added to the Bulls’ Summer League roster. Kawamura is disappointed that Memphis didn’t retain him, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I miss Memphis, for sure,” Kawamura said. “Memphis people are so nice. I wanted to play in Memphis this year, too, but it’s business. I’m satisfied right now. The Bulls organization is great. Good opportunity for me.”

Rockets Notes: Sheppard, Smith, Green, Brooks

July 12th, 2025 at 9:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

Finishing with the second-best record in the West, the Rockets weren’t able to give Reed Sheppard the playing time that a No. 3 overall draft pick normally receives. So they’ve decided to make his development the focus of their Summer League team, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic. That process extends beyond his on-court contributions, as Sheppard has also become a leader and teacher for his teammates as they work to earn NBA roster spots.

“He’s been more vocal with this group,” Summer League head coach Garrett Jackson said. “I’m constantly encouraging him to do that. But just being more assertive, getting us set up in our sets as the point guard of this team.”

Sheppard showed his full array of skills in Friday’s loss to the Clippers, finishing with a game-high 28 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks in 33 minutes. He’s been given full control of the offense in Las Vegas, with the instructions to play fast and freelance while adhering to principles set by head coach Ime Udoka.

“He’s getting better and better every day,” teammate Nate Williams said. “He puts in the work and I see him putting in the work behind the scenes. I love having him as a teammate. He’s not the most vocal guy — he leads with his actions — but he does what he’s supposed to do. Makes the right plays and does the right things off the court. He’s a good kid and he’s growing every day.”

There’s more on the Rockets:

Jabari Smith Jr. is hoping for a long-term future in Houston after agreeing to a five-year, $122MM rookie scale extension last month, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. Instead of pushing for a higher salary or testing the market next summer as a restricted free agent, Smith opted to become the first member of the 2022 draft class to reach an extension. “It feels great to just know that you’re committed to the city where you want to be. I want to be here for the rest of my career,” Smith said. “So I’m glad that this is a good start to it, and I’m ready to build something.”
Jalen Green knew he was on the trade market for some time before the Rockets sent him to the Suns as part of Kevin Durant deal, Lerner states in a separate story. He arrived in Phoenix last week to begin preparations with his new franchise and said he plans to reconnect with his former teammates this week in Las Vegas. “They’ve been trying to trade me since last year,” Green said. “I’m not tripping. It’s for the better of the team. I know it’s a business at the end of the day. I really can’t handle how I feel. Whatever happens, happens. At the end of the day, I still got the opportunity to play basketball.”
Dillon Brooks, who was sent to Phoenix along with Green, told Lerner in another piece that he’ll miss the connections he had with his Rockets teammates. He exchanged greetings with several of them during Friday’s Summer League game. “I thought about it and the only reason why I was upset about it was because I loved playing with Fred VanVleet), playing with Ime,” Brooks said. “We grew something there and Ime and the coaching staff was family oriented and it was like a brotherhood. That was the only reason why I thought it was a little bit sad.”

Rockets’ Stone Talks KD, Whitmore, Green, Sheppard, Capela

July 8th, 2025 at 8:21am CST by Luke Adams

Asked on Monday about the biggest factor that made the Rockets want to make a deal for Kevin Durant, general manager Rafael Stone offered a simple answer, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).

“He’s Kevin Durant,” Stone said.

Stone went on to laud Durant’s shooting efficiency and prowess as a half-court scorer, suggesting that adding that dimension to the offense should make Houston a more well-rounded team. He’s also looking forward to seeing what the team’s young players learn from the 15-time All-Star.

“His work ethic is just awesome,” Stone said. “The speed at which he practices and kind of the intensity of which he practices is something that has made him great over the years, and it started when he was very young. And so of all the things that that I hope rubs off, that’s the main one.”

There was some uncertainty entering the offseason about how aggressive the Rockets would be in their pursuit of Durant, given that he’s entering his age-37 season and doesn’t necessarily fit the timeline of the club’s young core. Asked about that line of thinking, Stone suggested that Houston is no longer a “developmental” team and that he believes those young players are ready to win now.

“We were the No. 2 seed (in the West) last year, and I think a very legitimate one. And so we think we can contend now,” Stone said. “We lost a close series last year, and we thought we had a real chance of contending in the playoffs last year, and we hope to have a real chance of contending in the playoffs this year.”

Here’s more from the Rockets’ GM:

The fact that Houston is no longer a “developmental” team is one reason why the front office felt like it made sense to move on from 2023 first-round pick Cam Whitmore, Stone explains. “We want to provide Cam with the opportunity to do in his career what we still believe he very much can do,” the GM said. “I think Cam is an insanely talented, really nice young man, and wanted to provide him an opportunity to go home and be in a situation where he could really play through mistakes in a way that we never could afford him, just in the iteration of the of the Rockets that he joined.”
Including former No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green in the package for Durant was necessary due to salary-matching rules, but wasn’t easy, according to Stone. “Jalen is awesome. He did everything we asked,” Stone said. “He’s a wonderful combination of talent and work ethic, along with being just a great human being. And any time that you have the privilege to work with someone who is talented and works really hard and is really nice, you should value it. And so organizationally, we’ve valued him tremendously. So yeah, very hard.”
Asked whether the Rockets still want to add more backcourt depth, Stone said the team will always be on the lookout for upgrades, but expressed skepticism that there are still meaningful moves on the way before the season begins (YouTube link). “I like our team as is,” he said. “… We’re hard-capped at the first apron and we have no space left, so I think very likely we’ll enter the season looking very similar to the way we look now. It’s pretty hard not to.”
One reason the Rockets are comfortable with their current guards is a belief that 2024’s No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard is ready to take on a larger role. “Reed’s just going to have to be really good for us, period,” Stone said (YouTube link).
Stone confirmed that the free agency addition of Clint Capela signals the Rockets’ willingness to lean on two-big lineups more in 2025/26 (YouTube link). “We loved that lineup once we discovered it last year. We thought it was really, really effective for us,” he said. “Also, Clint just adds something we don’t have in terms of being a center who can move a little bit easier on the perimeter, also as a lob threat. Finally, we just think depth is super-important. As we’re trying to make it through the season, we don’t want there to be huge drop-offs. We did not anticipate going into free agency that we would be able to get Clint, but we were ecstatic when that materialized.”

Lottery Pick Facilitated Durant Trade

June 22nd, 2025 at 8:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets’ willingness to give up their lottery pick in this week’s draft played a significant role in the agreed-upon Kevin Durant blockbuster with the Suns, Kelly Iko and Sam Amick report.

The Rockets refused to give the Suns’ 2027 and 2029 first-round selections, which Houston controls via prior trades, back to Phoenix. Those picks were sent to Brooklyn in the February 2023 Durant deal and the Rockets acquired them in a June 2024 deal with the Nets.

However, the Rockets had found it difficult to bring in top prospects for workouts this spring due to the possibility of a Durant deal. The Suns believe they can draft a player at that spot who can be an immediate contributor.

The trade between the clubs was the culmination of weeks-long discussions, though the two sides hadn’t talked for a week before the conversations were reignited on Thursday. Rockets general manager Rafael Stone refused to part with most of his young players, including Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason. Efforts were made to add other trade partners to the mix but that didn’t gain any footing, so it became a straight two-team swap.

Jalen Green, who struggled in the postseason, became increasingly aware he could be part of a potential package, even though he preferred to stay put. He received word that he was being dealt approximately an hour before the deal was first reported.

According to Phoenix sports talk show host John Gambadoro, the Rockets were willing to give up Smith prior to the February trade deadline. They offered Smith and Green without any draft picks for Durant at that time (Twitter link).

While there were numerous reports in recent months that the Rockets were unwilling to break up their young core, they eventually warmed to the idea of making an all-in move. The prospect of adding a dynamic scorer and proven postseason performer like Durant was seen as their best win-now option, according to The Athletic duo. There’s a strong belief that the Durant-Rockets partnership will extend beyond next season, even if he doesn’t sign an extension right away next month.

Houston head coach Ime Udoka, who recently received an extension, was a strong behind-the-scenes advocate for adding Durant, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post. Udoka, who overlapped with Durant in Brooklyn, has a close friendship with the star forward.

With both Green and Dillon Brooks included in the trade, a starting spot should open up in Houston for Smith, who was moved to the second unit for a portion of the season. Amen Thompson, who replaced Smith in the lineup, will join Fred VanVleet in the backcourt. The Rockets hold a $44.9MM option on VanVleet’s contract, with a decision due in the next week.

Durant expressed excitement when asked by Kay Adams at Fanatics Fest in New York about the trade, ESPN’s Shams Charania relays.

“Being part of the Houston Rockets, I’m looking forward to it,” Durant said. “Crazy, crazy last couple weeks, but I’m glad it’s over with.”

Rockets Notes: Smith, Adams, VanVleet, Sheppard

June 15th, 2025 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. is focused on improving his ball-handling skills in preparation for his fourth NBA season, he tells Ari Alexander of KPRC in Houston (Twitter video link, hat tip to Ben DuBose of Rockets Wire). Smith felt it was important to get back to work quickly after the Rockets were knocked out of the playoffs by Golden State in the first round.

“Just the mindset, I was very hungry,” he said. “We didn’t finish the season how we wanted to, so I was ready to get back in the gym and work on what I need to work on. I want to have a big summer and come back next year looking like a whole different player.”

This is a significant offseason for Smith, the No. 3 pick in 2022, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension. He missed close to two months after fracturing a bone in his hand, then was removed from the starting lineup in late February. He averaged a career-low 12.2 PPG in 57 games, but he just turned 22 last month and offers a high-level combination of defense, rebounding and outside shooting. He’s reportedly among the Rockets players Phoenix is targeting in a potential Kevin Durant trade.

Smith’s summer program includes working with skills trainer Aaron Miller, who has an extensive history with NBA players.

“It’s real technical, with a lot of attention to detail,” Smith said. “I just like how detailed it is, and how down to the science it is.”

There’s more from Houston:

Steven Adams‘ salary will decline each season under his new three-year extension, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). The contract is front-loaded at $14,130,434 for the upcoming season, followed by $13MM in 2026/27 and $11,869,566 in 2027/28. As we relayed yesterday, the deal is fully guaranteed and contains no team or player option.
Fred VanVleet and the Rockets have “mutual interest” in staying together, Shams Charania of ESPN confirms. Houston faces a June 29 deadline to exercise a $44.9MM option on the 31-year-old guard, but it’s possible that the option may be declined and replaced with a longer contract. Cap expert Yossi Gozlan suggests (via Twitter) that Adams’ early extension agreement could be a sign that there’s confidence about a restructured deal with VanVleet. He also states that Houston could get below the aprons and dodge the luxury tax by waiving all its non-guaranteed contracts, trading the 10th pick in the draft and cutting VanVleet’s current salary by about 25%.
Reed Sheppard will participate in this year’s Summer League in preparation for a larger role next season, Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle states in a mailbag column.

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.”

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