The Houston Rockets will have plenty of X-factors this season, but after the devastating Fred VanVleet injury, guard production looms largest. Without VanVleet, the Rockets have zero point guards with experience as a go-to guy. It will be up to second-year man Reed Sheppard to prove that he can be that No. 1 point guard option, and if he can, the Rockets may still be able to live up to the lofty expectations they've earned after adding Kevin Durant this offseason. If he can't, the Rockets' ceiling lowers pretty drastically.
Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports offered up a comparison for Sheppard on The Kevin O'Connor Show, and it's one that Rockets fans would have no complaints about: Rajon Rondo.