Fred VanVleet’s Shocking Injury: Can the Rockets Uncover a Hidden Point Guard Savior?

When news breaks that a player of Fred VanVleet’s caliber goes down with a torn ACL, it sends ripples through the entire NBA community — and for the Houston Rockets, it’s a gut punch just when things looked ripe for a serious run. Imagine gearing up to chase glory with a freshly minted superstar like Kevin Durant joining the roster, only to have your floor general sidelined before training camp even begins. VanVleet, who’s been the steady hand and heartbeat of Houston’s backcourt, was expected to bring that no-nonsense leadership and clutch halfcourt savvy this season, but now the Rockets face the daunting task of adjusting on the fly. It’s a complex puzzle; salary cap constraints box in any quick-fix signings, while young guns Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard are suddenly thrust into the fire, carrying more than just a little weight on their shoulders. And sure, there’s optimism about VanVleet’s potential return by postseason — though that’s often a long shot. Meanwhile, Coach Udoka’s gotta piece together a lineup that still promises defensive sting and tactical versatility, leveraging the talents of Şengün and Durant to keep Houston in the hunt. It’s a ton to process, but the Rockets undeniably remain a force to reckon with out West — just with a twist nobody saw coming.LEARN MORE

Houston Rockets starting point guard Fred VanVleet suffered a torn right ACL last week during a team minicamp scrimmage in the Bahamas, multiple sources told Yahoo Sports. VanVleet, 31, is expected to undergo surgery later this week.

The news comes at a brutal time for the organization, with training camp just a week away and the franchise pivoting to a title pursuit following the offseason arrival of 14-time All-Star forward Kevin Durant. Over the past two seasons, VanVleet had established himself as the extension of head coach Ime Udoka on and off the court, providing Houston’s youth with structure, much-needed floor spacing and ball security. The Rockets rewarded him with a two-year, $50 million extension this offseason.

The team’s options at this juncture, as it pertains to outside help, are limited. Houston is currently hard-capped at the first apron, projected at $195.9 million, which prevents it from seeking veteran guards still on the market, including Seth Curry, Malik Beasley and Russell Westbrook. The organization also re-signed a slew of its own players this offseason in Jabari Smith Jr., Steven Adams, Jae’Sean Tate and Aaron Holiday — and they aren’t trade-eligible until mid-December, not to mention the fact the Rockets don’t want to lose additional players.

Despite VanVleet’s streaky shooting over the past two seasons, his ability to stabilize the team in the halfcourt (94th percentile in turnover percentage last season, per Cleaning the Glass) will be sorely missed — in addition to his consistent effort at the other end as a defensive playmaker. Houston now must shift the bulk of VanVleet’s workload to guards Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard.

For Thompson, who enjoyed a breakout season earning All-Defensive honors and averaged a shade under four assists per game in 69 starts, assuming more playmaking duties will only augment his rapid development. The departure of Jalen Green opened the door for more opportunities for Thompson, and VanVleet’s unfortunate injury only reinforces that.

For Sheppard, the second-year guard coming off an up-and-down rookie season and inconsistent summer league, more questions will arise about his ability to handle a larger workload this quickly. Houston’s brass, however, remains high on Sheppard’s ability, a belief that has also been echoed within the roster.

“The more that our young guys can step up, be ready to go and take jumps, it’s going to give the older guys more cushion,” VanVleet said earlier this offseason. “The better Reed [Sheppard] plays, the less that I need to be out there. That’s just general basketball 101.”

There is hope from VanVleet’s camp, as it seeks multiple opinions about potential recovery timetables, that the 31-year-old guard will be back by the postseason, but it’s not a very common occurrence.

In the meantime, training camp will become an even greater opportunity for the Rockets to experiment. Udoka will need to determine what his new-look starting lineup will be without VanVleet. The Rockets still boast one of the NBA’s deepest rosters heading into the season, with an abundance of length and defensive versatility Udoka can lean into. For example, Houston could start Thompson at point guard and flank him with Dorian Finney-Smith, Durant, Smith and starting center Alperen Şengün. Şengün, who is coming off an All-Star season and strong summer performance in EuroBasket, has all the makings of a superstar and is already a capable passing big. Durant is also an efficient ball-handler and can handle point-guard duties in spots.

VanVleet’s injury certainly puts a dent in Houston’s title chances, but the Rockets still have more than enough talent to be a force in the Western Conference.