The Rockets selected the team in the fourth year Reid Sheppardthe team announced a massive rookie contract today (Link to Twitter via Will Guillory of The Athletic ).
The move guarantees Sheppard’s salary for the 2027/28 season. He will make $11.11 million this season and $14.04 million next season before becoming eligible for restricted free agency in 2028. Houston can keep him off the RFA market that summer by signing him to a rookie-scale expansion contract through the 2027 offseason.
After being drafted third overall by Kentucky in 2024, Sheppard played a very limited role with the Rockets as a rookie. But with Fred VanVleet Sidelined for a year with a torn ACL in 2025-26, Sheppard took on more responsibilities in his second NBA season, appearing in all 82 regular season games and averaging 26.2 minutes per night. He averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game on .430/.394/.802 shooting and finished sixth in the MVP voting.
Despite VanVleet’s return this fall, Sheppard continued to develop his playmaking skills, dishing at least four assists in all four of his appearances this season for the 5-0 Rockets.
Houston has been aggressive in signing long-term contracts to its young players in recent years, recently signing Amin Thompson to the expansion of the beginner and Tara Eason to a free agent contract ahead of the 2026/27 season, so Sheppard will be one of the top extension candidates among the 2024 first-rounders next offseason.
We’re keeping track of all the rookie squad decisions for ’27/28 right here. These decisions should be made on Monday.
