{
  "id": 11125122,
  "title": "1 Rockets player in danger of losing starting job in 2026-27 training camp",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/1-rockets-player-in-danger-of-losing-starting-job-in-2026-27-training",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-01T06:18:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/1-rockets-player-danger-losing-061805545.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Houston Rockets face a decision regarding the future of their starting point guard situation for the 2026-27 season. Kevin Durant's trade brought in a top-tier talent, but an injury to Fred VanVleet before the 2025-26 season left the Rockets without a reliable starting point guard. Fred VanVleet recovered in time for training camp, and Reed Sheppard is set to return to his starting role. However, this leaves the Rockets in a dilemma, as Reed Sheppard will once again be relegated to the bench. While Sheppard had an impressive season with 13.5 points and 1.5 steals per game, his limited playmaking and inability to generate many advantages on the rim have been significant concerns. The Rockets will have to evaluate his future role, which may involve playing more off-ball and exploiting his three-point shooting. Additionally, Marcus Smart, a Udoka favorite and a versatile defender, could potentially take on the starting point guard role. Despite these challenges, Reed Sheppard remains an important asset for the Rockets' future and has the potential for further growth within the team's defense-first system.",
  "summary": "It looked like the Houston Rockets were destined for bigger and better things prior to the 2025-26 season when they traded for Kevin Durant to complement their fast-rising young core. However, an injury to Fred VanVleet before the season even bega n seemed to cap the Rockets’ potential. The Rockets went through the 2025-26 campaign with only Reed […] The post 1 Rockets player in danger of losing…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}