Rockets Face Devastating Blow: Fred VanVleet’s Torn ACL Threatens to Sideline Star All Season

When you think of the Houston Rockets gearing up for a championship run, Fred VanVleet was the quiet force holding it all together — a savvy, clutch guard worth every penny of that two-year, $50 million deal they inked this summer. So, hearing he tore his ACL during an unofficial workout in the Bahamas? Man, that hits like a gut punch. This injury could sideline VanVleet for the entire next NBA season, a reality confirmed by multiple sources after Shams Charania first broke the news. He’s back in Houston now, gearing up for surgery that’ll test both his grit and the Rockets’ resilience. Take a moment and imagine the ripple effect: with Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and others all on the wings and frontcourt, VanVleet was that linchpin point guard glue — steadying the ship with 14.1 points and 5.6 assists per game last season. Plus, defense? He’s been a nightmare for opponents. His playoff performance, averaging nearly 19 points and lifting the Rockets by 21 points per 100 possessions when he was on the court, underscored just how vital he is. Now, all eyes shift to young Reed Sheppard, thrust into a much bigger role than anyone anticipated, backed up by Aaron Holiday. It’s a tough spot to fill, especially in the West’s cutthroat circus — the Thunder returning almost their entire championship roster, the Nuggets loaded around Jokic, and don’t even get me started on the wildcards like Edwards’ Wolves or the Lakers’ LeBron-Doncic tandem. The Rockets’ quest just got a whole lot steeper. LEARN MORE

The Houston Rockets realized the value of Fred VanVleet, which is why they re-signed the guard to a two-year, $50 million contract this summer. It also shows just what kind of blow this latest news is for a team with championship aspirations.

VanVleet suffered a torn ACL at an unofficial team workout in the Bahamas and could miss the entire upcoming NBA season, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by others. This was a contact injury, and VanVleet has returned to Houston, where he is expected to have surgery later this week.

On a roster stacked with talent on the wings and in the frontcourt — Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and more — VanVleet was the glue at an otherwise thin point guard spot that held everything together. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points and 5.6 assists last season, and is a plus defender. Last season, the Rockets were 3.3 points per 100 possessions better when VanVleet was on the court. VanVleet’s value really stood out in the playoffs, when he averaged 18.7 points, 4.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds a game and the Rockets were 21 points per 100 possessions better when he was on the court in their series loss to the Warriors.

VanVleet’s injury puts a lot of pressure on second-year guard Reed Sheppard, who was being asked to make a big step up to the backup point guard role this season and now will have more on his plate. Behind him is veteran Aaron Holiday.

This is a potentially serious blow to the Rockets’ title hopes, especially in a deep West where Oklahoma City brings back 14 players from the team that just won the title, and the Denver Nuggets have stacked the roster around Nikola Jokic (that’s not even mentioning Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves or the LeBron James and Luka Doncic tandem in Los Angeles).