As the Houston Rockets enter the season, beginning with their season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, their greatest strength lies in their rotational versatility: a fact they will be putting on full display as the double-big lineup makes its regular season debut.
Yet, the starting lineup against the Thunder does not include second-year guard Reed Sheppard, and, apart from the excitement that the double-big lineup brings, head coach Ime Udoka's choice could also reflect significantly upon what Sheppard's role will be this season.
While the Rockets are in desperate need of viable point guard play in the absence of Fred VanVleet, it appears as though Sheppard will still need to earn the trust of the coaching staff in order to take on more significant minutes.