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Preface
The Houston Rockets were the big winners this summer, signing basketball star Shepard to a four-year, $45.8 million contract, and Stone was a blessing in disguise.
So will Shepard be an important candidate for the Rockets to win the championship?
Rockets Summer League debut
On a hot summer day, the temperature in Las Vegas doesn't seem to be able to match the heat of the NBA Summer League.
In the event that basketball fans have been waiting for, the Houston Rockets ushered in their first game.
The opponent is one of the most influential teams in the league - the Los Angeles Lakers.
The result of this game was unexpected, and the Rockets defeated the Lakers by a margin of 99-80.
Source: Nine Sports – Lakers Summer League Defeat to Rockets
The difference in scores is so large that one can't help but be impressed by the strength of the Rockets, however, we can't ignore the fact that this is summer league after all.
In the long season of the NBA, summer league is more of a warm-up session.
Its wins and losses do not fully reflect the true strength of the team in the regular season.
Many of the stars are on vacation or preparing for the new season. Most of the players who appear on the field are rookies and fringe players.
Still, the game caught the eye of many Rockets fans.
Their attention is all focused on one person – Shepard.
As the star of this year's draft, Shepard has the huge expectations of the team and fans.
Shepard's performance in this game can be described as impressive.
Every time he holds the ball, every shot, and even every defensive move, he touches the hearts of Rockets fans.
They are looking forward to seeing if the youngster can be a star of hope for the future of the team.
Once the bout started, Shepard quickly showed what he's capable of.
His shooting moves are smooth and natural, and his three-point shot is even more handy.
Whenever he catches the ball from beyond the three-point line, all eyes are on him.
And he didn't disappoint the crowd, sending the ball to the basket again and again.
Not only that, but Shepard's possession of the ball is also impressive.
His nimble dribbling and keen passing vision make the Rockets' offense more fluid.
Even in the face of the Lakers' tight defense, he was able to organize the offense with ease.
Defensively, Shepard was equally impressive.
His aggressive defensive attitude and excellent defensive awareness have interrupted the Lakers' offense many times.
His steals and blocks not only inspired his teammates, but also ignited the enthusiasm of Rockets fans on the sidelines.
As the game went on, Shepard got better and better.
His dominance on the court gradually emerged, like a veteran who has played in the NBA for many years.
Such a comprehensive performance can't help but think of the current star Curry.
Shepard's all-round skill set seems to indicate that he could become a top star in the future.
However, we should also be rational, after all, this is only a summer league game and Shepard still has a long way to go.
Shepard made a strong debut
When the summer league spotlight shone on Shepard, the young rookie proved his worth with his performances.
Shepard's debut against the Lakers was perfect, reminiscent of the debut of the biggest stars in the NBA.
Shepard's stats in this game are undoubtedly impressive: 23 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocks.
Source: Sina.com - Lakers lost to the Rockets in the summer league and suffered a four-game losing streak, rookie Shepard scored 23 points, and Bronny was 3 of 14
Such comprehensive stats are impressive enough even in the regular season, not to mention that this is only a summer league game.
His scoring efficiency is reminiscent of the peak performance of those shooter-type guards.
However, it's not enough to judge Shepard's performance with data alone.
On the pitch, the all-round ability he showed was truly amazing.
His shooting ability is top-notch, whether it's a long-range shot from beyond the three-point line or a mid-range jumper, he shows an extremely high shooting percentage.
Every time he raised his arms, the court seemed to fall silent, and everyone was waiting to see if the ball would go into the net.
Shepard was equally good on the ball, with his dribbling movements, sometimes breaking through and sometimes changing to get past him, making defenders elusive.
Even more surprising is that he also has excellent passing vision, making a few clever passes, not only creating scoring opportunities for his team-mates, but also showing his potential as a playmaker.
Shepard also impresses with his breakaway ability, with his speed and explosiveness reminiscent of those top scoring guards.
When he rushes to the basket with the ball, defenders are often out of reach, and even against tall post players, he has the flexibility to change to the basket or pass to an open teammate.
Defensively, Shepard was equally relentless, with his positive defensive attitude and excellent defensive awareness interrupting opponents' attacks on several occasions.
The stat of 3 blocks, which is quite impressive for a defender, shows not only his athletic talent, but also his focus and dedication to the game.
Looking at Shepard's style of play, one can't help but think of current star Stephen · Curry.
The two have similarities in terms of projection, ball handling skills and on-court impact.
Of course, Shepard is still young, and it will take a long time of hard work and training to reach Curry's heights.
However, the potential he has shown is undoubtedly exciting for his future.
Shepard's performance in his debut not only won the applause of the audience, but also attracted wide attention from the basketball community.
Many professional analysts believe that if he can maintain this performance, he is likely to become a rising star in the league in the future.
However, the intensity and confrontation of the summer league games can't be compared to the regular season after all.
Whether Shepard will be able to maintain such a good performance on the real NBA court remains to be seen by time.
Shepard's pact with the Rocket
After Shepard's stunning debut, the Rockets management's decision became more sensible.
Long before the start of Summer League, the Rockets signed the rookie to a four-year, $45.8 million contract.
This contract not only reflects the Rockets' confidence in Shepard, but also lays the foundation for the team's future development.
$45.8 million, this figure is not high in the NBA world, you know, the annual salary of top stars can easily exceed this number.
Information source: Live broadcast - salary website: Rocket Tanhua Shepard signed a 4-year contract of 45.85 million with an annual salary of 10.1 million in the first year?
However, for a rookie who has just stepped into the league, this is already quite a sizable contract.
The Rockets' willingness to offer such a price is clearly a sign of high hopes for Shepard.
The details of the contract highlight the shrewdness of the Rockets' management, and the four-year contract period gives Shepard enough time to adjust to the pace of the NBA, while leaving enough room for the Rockets to observe and evaluate.
If Shepard can continue to improve and develop into the core of the team over the next four years, then this contract will undoubtedly be an extremely good investment.
What's more, this contract gives the Rockets a huge salary space advantage.
In today's NBA, salary space has become one of the key factors in the operation of a team.
A cost-effective contract can not only help the team retain key players while also having the funds to strengthen other positions, but also become an important bargaining chip in future trades.
Shepard's addition has given the Rockets hope of returning to the top.
After several seasons of sluggishness, the Rockets are in dire need of a core player who can lead the team to a championship.
And Shepard's arrival seems to have brought the possibility of realizing this wish.
Judging by Shepard's performances in Summer League, he does have the potential to be at the heart of the team.
His all-round technical features and excellent on-court awareness make one can't help but imagine what he will be like in the NBA in the future.
If he can continue that momentum and improve in his career, then he has a good chance of becoming a key figure for the Rockets to challenge for a championship.
However, we also need to recognize that the road from rookie to team core is not easy.
The history of the NBA is full of talented players who eventually fell into obscurity.
Whether Shepard can truly grow into the leader of the Rockets will need to be tested by time.
Still, the Rockets' investment is a smart one, and even if Shepard doesn't fully live up to expectations, the amount of the contract won't be too burdensome on the team's salary structure.
Conversely, if Shepard does grow into an All-Star-caliber player, this contract will be one of the best value for money in the league.
Of course, Shepard alone can't achieve the championship dream, and the Rockets need to strengthen other positions to build a team with real championship quality.
And Shepard's contract just leaves enough salary space for the Rockets to make such reinforcements.
Rockets get Shepard as a blessing in disguise
In the world of the NBA, opportunities often coexist with challenges, and the Houston Rockets have had a tortuous journey to acquire Shepard, a promising star.
The beginning of this story can be traced back to the original trade plan of the Rockets.
Rockets management wasn't initially targeting Shepard, they had their sights set on the Brooklyn Nets in the hope of trading for a player who had already proven himself in the league.
If successful, this plan will undoubtedly bring an immediate boost to the Rockets, but the changes in the basketball world are often unpredictable.
The process of trade negotiations did not go smoothly, and the two sides disagreed on player valuations and chip exchanges, and ultimately failed to reach an agreement.
When the news broke, many Rockets fans were disappointed, and they expected the team to bring in a mature player to help the team get out of the slump as soon as possible.
However, as the so-called Seon lost the horse, it is not known that the failure of the trade allowed the Rockets to retain the precious probe pick.
In the 2023 draft, they used this pick to select Shepard, and at the time, few expected that this selection would bring such a huge surprise to the Rockets.
Looking back at the Rockets' draft history in recent years, they have had multiple high-pick picks.
However, these high-pick rookies have not performed as well as they should, with some failing to adapt to the pace of the NBA and others struggling to perform due to injuries.
These experiences have made Rockets fans a little more cautious about high-pick rookies.
But Shepard's arrival seems to have broken that spell, and judging by his summer league performances, he has shown far more potential than other high-pick rookies the Rockets have drafted in the past few years.
What's even more surprising is that Shepard seems to be a perfect fit for the Rockets' system.
His style of play is very much in line with the team's tactical philosophy, which allows him to perform well in a short period of time.
This kind of fit is difficult to match with other high-ranking rookies.
epilogue
Shepard's addition has breathed new life into the Rockets, and the four-year, $45.8 million contract may become one of the most cost-effective contracts in the league in the future.
Whatever the future holds, the story that happened this summer will go on to be a big part of the Rockets' history.
Not only does it bring hope, but it also shows us the possibilities of the basketball world.
Let's wait and see how the story of Shepard and the Rockets continues to be written.
Information sources:
Nine Sports – Lakers Summer League loss to Rockets
Sina.com - Lakers lost to the Rockets in the summer league and suffered four consecutive defeats, rookie Shepard scored 23 points, and Bronny was 3 of 14
Live broadcast - salary website: Rocket Tanhua Shepard signed a 4-year contract of 45.85 million with an annual salary of 10.1 million in the first year?