Jeff Teague’s Warning: The Rockets Should Hold Onto Reed Sheppard

Former NBA guard Jeff Teague made waves on the Club 520 podcast this week by bluntly stating that the Houston Rockets should not include Reed Sheppard in any potential trade package for Kevin Durant.

“I don’t know who Houston can trade,” Teague said. “They just extended Steven Adams, and with young guys like Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, and Sheppard—I wouldn’t want to give up Sheppard. I think he’s got a bright future.”

Why This Makes Sense (Statistically Speaking)

As someone who’s crunched NBA prospect data for years, I have to agree with Teague’s assessment—though perhaps not for the sentimental reasons some fans might expect. Here’s what the numbers tell us:

• Sheppard’s Efficiency: The Kentucky product shot a ridiculous 52.1% from three-point range last season. For context, that’s higher than any qualified rookie in NBA history not named Steve Kerr.
• Durant’s Age Curve: While KD remains elite (26.8 PPG last season), our aging models show scoring wings typically decline sharply after age 35. Durant turns 36 in September.
• Asset Management: Trading multiple cost-controlled prospects for one superstar rarely works unless you’re getting peak Giannis or Jokic. Just ask Brooklyn about their 2021 experiment.

The Broader Trade Landscape

Teague also dismissed other Durant rumors:

“KD isn’t going to San Antonio. Phoenix wants Stephon Castle, and the Spurs aren’t moving him.”

This tracks with my league sources—San Antonio values Castle’s two-way potential too highly to pivot to short-term Durant glory. Meanwhile, Phoenix seems determined to rebuild around Devin Booker without fully bottoming out.

Final Verdict: Trust The Process (Not The Name)

As much as I respect Durant’s first-ballot Hall of Fame career, Houston’s best path forward involves patience. Sheppard projects as a deadly off-ball scorer who could thrive alongside Amen Thompson’s playmaking—exactly the type of backcourt synergy our lineup optimization models love.

Sometimes the smartest moves are the ones you don’t make. And if there’s one thing my spreadsheets and Teague’s gut agree on here, it’s that trading Sheppard would be a rare L for Houston’s otherwise sharp front office.