The arrival of Kevin Durant should be a sign that the Rockets are ready to contend again. But the recent Fred VanVleet’s ACL news has put a spanner on those championship plans. No doubt the team still has the depth to cope, but to lose a point guard, who averaged 14.1 points and 5.6 assists last season, which became 18.7 points per game during the playoffs, is a tall order for any team. As expected, some analysts are now lowering the expectation for a ring this year, despite the presence of KD.

“They had some small but meaningful equity. And I think now they have none.” Zach Lowe, on his show today, made it clear that the Houston Rockets are not a favorite for him. He further questioned the front office and their ability to be aggressive to replace the 31-year-old point guard. “I think they (Rockets) might say, ‘Well, if that ends up being the case, like maybe we don’t really care about that because we’re going to learn a lot about our young guys. Yes, we traded for Kevin Durant, but like we’re not a prisoner to Kevin Durant’s timetable because the rest of our roster, other than VanVleet, is all young up-and-coming guys. We got future draft picks.‘”

As things stand right now, the Rockets are just $1.2 million under the first apron, which makes it almost impossible for them to sign a VanVleet replacement right away. Another issue is having multiple players on new deals, which means up to nine players can’t be traded until Dec. 15. With no free agency signing possible or the ability to trade any meaningful piece, the Rockets have no choice but to wait and see how the situation plays out. That’s where the problem lies for Lowe.

“I just think if Fred VanVleet turns into like zero during the season, I don’t think that they do. And if they don’t care about that because of all this long lens stuff we’re talking about, that’s fine. Kevin Durant is also about to turn 37 next week. And so there I just think there’s some dissonance there of like, ‘Oh, we’ll be fine long term, blah blah blah.'” Lowe stated that if the Rockets want to be a serious challenger this upcoming season, they should sign a proven point guard, like Austin Reaves, to replace VanVleet, rather than completely hedging their bets on the youngsters.

KD finds himself in a similar situation to the one he was in with the Suns for the past season. No primary ball handler on the team led to a lot of issues on the court. Production-wise, there was no problem for the Slim Reaper. Last season, he averaged 26.6 points, six rebounds, and 4.2 assists. Expecting similar output from him won’t be an overreach. But apart from him, who on the team can produce chances for others?

Can young guards solve veteran Kevin Durant’s problem?

Fred VanVleet’s absence leaves a gaping hole at point guard. The 31-year-old averaged 14.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds last season while starting all 133 games he played over two years in Houston. Taking the onus on himself during the playoffs, he averaged 18.7 points and shot 43.5% from beyond the arc in a seven-game series against Golden State. Plus, he led the team both in assists and steals. Since they can’t shop outside, what solution can they find internally?

The first solution that everyone is looking at is the No. 4 pick from the 2023 NBA Draft, Amen Thompson. Last season, he played the forward role, but the 22-year-old has played as a guard during his college days. Statistically, he logged over 1,300 possessions at point guard, averaging 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on 55.7% shooting. So, that would be an easier transition. Next on the team who is expected to reduce Thompson’s role is Sheppard, the No. 3 pick in 2024.

Statwise, he had 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 12.6 minutes per game, with a 35% field goal and 33% three-point shooting efficiency. But those were all in garbage minutes. However, in the three games he started, Sheppard produced 19.7 points per game in three starts while shooting at over 52% from the three-point zone. Usage rate-wise, Thompson was at 18.5% last season, and it will definitely increase this year.