Heading into a season where they have championship aspirations, the Houston Rockets find themselves with a major obstacle to navigate. Days away from the start of training camp, one analyst gave his thoughts on how they'll fill the hole in their starting lineup.Coming off a season where they finished second in the Western Conference, they made a big splash by trading for Kevin Durant. The former MVP was seen as someone who could get the group over the hump. However, Houston has already lost a key member of the roster.On Monday, reports emerged that Fred VanVleet suffered a torn ACL and could miss the entirety of the 2026 season. While breaking down the news on his podcast, Zach Lowe touched on how the Rockets could pivot. He expects Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson to fill the void left by the former champion."They're not gonna do anything because they're gonna give the ball to Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard," Lowe said. "And just see what they have in those guys." After being taken third overall in the 2024 draft, Sheppard didn't play much for Houston as a rookie. As for Thompson, the $40 million forward is fresh off taking a big step in his development last season. If the pair of former lottery picks are able to replace VanVleet's production, Houston still has a good chance of contending in the Western Conference. Reed Sheppard focused on physical growth ahead of second season with the Houston Rockets Coming out of Kentucky, one of the biggest criticisms of Reed Sheppard was his size. Standing at 6-foot-1 with a slim frame, he was seen as someone who could be targeted by opposing NBA offenses. Heading into his second year with the Rockets, he's worked hard to do away with this notion.Earlier this week, Sheppard attended a charity event at Great Wolf Lodge to try and raise money for the Boys and Girls Club in Houston. After the festivities, the former No. 3 pick answered a handful of questions from the media members in attendance.When asked about the focal point of his training this offseason, Sheppard noted that he spent a lot of time in the gym trying to add muscle."I think the biggest thing was getting in the weight room and just staying in the gym and working on everything," Sheppard said. Now on pace to have a larger role with the Rockets in year two, Sheppard will need a strong frame if he's going to hold his own against NBA athletes.