The Houston Rockets have decided to shut down second-year guard Reed Sheppard for the remainder of the NBA Summer League, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic.
Sheppard, who was taken with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, showed flashes of scoring ability in Las Vegas before the team opted to end his summer action early. Through two Summer League games, the 21-year-old averaged 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while playing 30.6 minutes per contest.
Although his shooting numbers in Las Vegas were inconsistent — hitting just 36.4% from the field and 31.8% from three — Sheppard demonstrated his ability to create offense and generate steals on the defensive end. He also got to the line regularly, shooting 70% on free throws.
Sheppard’s Summer League comes on the heels of a rookie NBA season in which he played 51 games for Houston. He averaged 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 12.5 minutes per game, with a career-high 25-point performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 3.
Houston assigned him to the G League briefly in January for development but brought him back after three games, giving him an increased role in the second half of the season.
His strong finish and his aggressive play this summer appear to have convinced the Rockets’ staff that he has nothing left to prove in Las Vegas.
