Houston Rockets lack play making ability with Fred VanVleet sidelined with a torn ACL

Glenn Kaplan

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Houston Rockets lack play making ability with Fred VanVleet sidelined with a torn ACL image

There are going to be questions about what the Houston Rockets should do at the point guard position for the 2025-26 NBA season without Fred VanVleet. He is going to be sidelined with a torn ACL.

This is a huge blow to a team that had championship expectations this season. There is no doubt that point guard is a glaring need for Houston. Will they replace his playmaking production from within or are they going to have find a point guard elsewhere?

Houston Rockets have questions about playmaking ability

Fred Katz of the Athletic has different questions about some Western Conference contenders as the 2025-26 NBA season approaches. One of the biggest questions he has about the Rockets is where is the playmaking going to come from on the roster without the presence of VanVleet.

Katz said, "A team of stars and young up-and-comers was disproportionately reliant on a savvy, veteran point guard. Once Fred VanVleet tore his ACL, ending his season before it ever started, Houston was in trouble.

VanVleet was an ideal fit on the rising Rockets, a playmaker when the team needed one and a catch-and-shoot weapon when another scorer handled. Now, offense must come from elsewhere. But who takes on the burden from Houston’s leading assist man?"

During the 2024-25 season with the Rockets, he averaged 14.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, 0.4 BPG, and 1.6 SPG. He also shot 37.8% from the field. With him being sidelined for the 2025-26 season, there are potential internal options for the Rockets at point guard in the meantime.

Reed Sheppard or Amen Thompson could potentially be the starting point guard for Houston this season. If that experiment does not work out, they could either sign someone or make a trade. However, if Alperen Sengun becomes the best passer on the team at the center position like Nikola Jokic is on the Denver Nuggets, that could be a potential gamechanger for this team.

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Glenn Kaplan

Glenn Kaplan is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has experience covering the MLB, college football, college basketball, NBA, NHL and NFL, bringing a well-rounded perspective to his work. Glenn has contributed to outlets including FanSided, Wisconsin Sports Heroics, Gridiron Heroics and Pro Football Network, and began his career with Towson University’s student newspaper.