The Houston Rockets added a new leader on the sidelines two summers ago. They also, importantly, added a floor general on the hardwood.
Fred VanVleet isn't just Houston's starting point guard for the last two seasons. He is the team's unquestioned leader, a playmaker on the floor, and a focused, steady presence in the locker room and on the road. While VanVleet's metrics leave much to be desired, his intangibles are unmatched.
"From Day 1, as I talked about, the importance of [VanVleet] at the point-guard position, [he's led] us in a lot of ways," Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said Sunday after Houston's 103-89 playoff-ending loss to the Golden State Warriors.