The Houston Rockets desperately needed a point guard this season. Without Fred VanVleet, who tore his ACL before the season, they were rudderless. They didn’t have a true point guard who could calm down the offense and get people in the right spot.
That was one of the big reasons why they lost to the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. VanVleet will return next season, but they still need someone who can create a little more offense. Reed Sheppard is more of a shooter off the catch than a guy who does stuff off the dribble.
A trade proposal from Bleacher Report would see them add Tyler Herro for that reason, but at the expense of a former top-three pick.
GettyMiami Heat guard Tyler Herro shoots the ball in a game against the Rockets. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Trade Proposal Sees Rockets Add Tyler Herro
Here is the full trade scenario:
Houston Rockets Receive: G Tyler Herro, 2026 second-round pick (No. 41 overall)
Miami Heat Receive: F Jabari Smith Jr., C Clint Capela
Giving up on Jabari Smith Jr. would hurt, especially because he was a former top-three pick. Smith Jr. is someone whom Houston re-signed to a massive contract extension, so shipping him out of town is an acknowledgement that things just didn’t work out.
Bringing in Herro would give the Rockets another person who can create his own offense off the dribble. Not only that, but he can run the pick-and-roll with Alperen Sengun. That’s something they missed this year. Herro is also another player Houston can give the ball to late in the shot clock to create offense out of nowhere.
Miami would likely not do this deal, however. They are holding Herro as a trade chip for a much bigger package than one that features Smith Jr. as the best player. If they decide to move him, it would be for a superstar player, not one who might be the fourth-best starter on a playoff team.
GettyHouston Rockets forward Kevin Durant dribbles the ball. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Houston Needs More Depth at the Guard Position
While Sheppard got some valuable minutes for the first time in his NBA career, the Rockets clearly need some depth at the guard spot. Adding another guard who can score is going to be the biggest priority for Houston in the offseason in terms of personnel.
In the playoffs, Houston had the fourth-worst offense. When things bogged down, they didn’t have enough guys to pass the ball to. That was especially true after Kevin Durant got hurt. Figuring out how to acquire that extra offense is going to be key.
The Rockets have enough assets to be involved in a trade for a superstar. If they want, they could try to push all of their chips in the middle for Giannis Antetokounmpo. They would have an attractive package for the Bucks. That might be something that the front office explores.
If not, they will add around the fringes in search of some more reliable postseason offense.
Rockets Give up on Top Three Pick in Win-Now Trade Proposal