During the offseason, Fred VanVleet signed a two-year $50 million deal, with a player-option for the 2026-27 season. Last week, VanVleet suffered a torn ACL and is going to be out for the entire 2025-26 NBA season.
He was projected to be the starting point guard for the Houston Rockets this season. With him being out of the equation, they will have to figure out where the production from the point guard position is going to come from. Amen Thompson or Reed Sheppard could be getting minutes at the point guard position this season. There is a chance that Houston may need to trade for a point guard at some point if it doesn't work out for them.
Houston Rockets Still Contenders Without Fred VanVleet
Michael C. Wright of espn.com questions if the Rockets can still be contenders in the Western Conference this season with VanVleet suffering a torn ACL. He responded by saying,
"Yes. They've got Kevin Durant, loads of young, hungry talent and strong coaching. ESPN's Bobby Marks explained that, barring a trade, Houston can't fill its lone roster spot with a free agent since it is $1.25 million below the first apron. So, the attention goes to potential replacements on the current roster such as Reed Sheppard, a sharpshooter and improved defender, undersized veteran Aaron Holiday and two-way phenom Amen Thompson, who probably will get first crack at replacing VanVleet. Thompson is poised to make a leap this season after devoting most of the offseason to improving as a playmaker and ball handler."
Had this team not acquired Kevin Durant, it would have been a different story altogether. Acquiring him means that they are all in for an NBA Championship for the 2025-26 season. It is going to be interesting to see what the starting lineup maybe without VanVleet.
The potential starting five could be Sheppard, Thompson, Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun. During the 2024-25 season, he averaged 14.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, 0.4 BPG, and 1.6 SPG. In 60 games played, he shot 37.8% from the field.
He is 31 years old, and his veteran presence is no doubt going to be missed on the court this season. They were the number two seed in the west last season. Even without him this season, there is no reason to believe why they wouldn't be a serious contender again.
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