What Preseason Said About Rockets’ New Guard Rotation

Jimmy Vik analyzes the Houston Rockets' revamped guard rotation following their three-game preseason slate, which concluded with a 113-89 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Fred VanVleet returned from ACL surgery to log heavy preseason minutes as the primary floor general, while Marcus Smart, who signed a two-year, $12 million contract, emerged as an important rotational piece under head coach Ime Udoka.

Vik argues that veteran Bogdan Bogdanović likely holds an advantage over rookie Bruce Thornton for bench scoring minutes. Bogdanović shot 41.2% from three-point range across three games, while Thornton struggled with foul trouble and playmaking despite shooting 50% from the floor, making the veteran the safer early option for Houston.