Rockets Veteran’s Surgery Sparks Hope—What This Could Mean for the Season!

So, the Houston Rockets just took a real hit — and no, I’m not talking about their defense against the Lakers in that epic photo up top (props to Alex Slitz for capturing that moment). Fred VanVleet, the team’s chief orchestrator, recently tore his ACL, and though he’s had surgery to fix it, we’re not gonna see him lighting up the court for quite a while. It makes you wonder — how does a team recalibrate when its heart and floor general is sidelined months on end? The Rockets have made savvy moves this offseason, no doubt, but losing VanVleet’s 14 points and 5.6 assists per game feels like trying to captain a ship with half the crew missing. Still, if there’s one thing I’ve learned watching the NBA grind year after year, it’s that resilience often writes the best stories — and maybe, just maybe, this setback will fuel Houston’s fire even more. Buckle up, because the 2025-26 season just got a whole lot more intriguing.

Los Angeles Lakers v Houston Rockets — (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

The Houston Rockets are still reeling from the news of Fred VanVleet’s injury.

VanVleet was supposed to be a central part of the team’s plans for the new season, but that is not going to happen because of his ACL tear.

The team just announced that VanVleet underwent a successful surgery to repair the ACL in his right knee, but that doesn’t mean he will be back soon.

In fact, it’ll be months before the Rockets see him again.

Medical Update: The Houston Rockets today announced that guard Fred VanVleet underwent successful surgery to repair the ACL in his right knee. pic.twitter.com/C9JBXOUB6A

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) September 25, 2025

The average timetable for a return after an ACL injury like this is about nine to 10 months, which means VanVleet might be back with his team during the playoffs, if they make it that far.

That’s the plan, because the Rockets still have a chance of being incredibly competitive even if VanVleet is out of the lineup.

The fact that he had surgery so soon after his injury proves that the team wants to get VanVleet back as quickly as possible.

They are trying to move the process along safely, but at a fast pace.

Last season, VanVleet averaged 14.1 points and 5.6 assists per game, and is the team’s primary ball-handler and floor general.

They made some big changes in the summer and some smart additions, but they will still be missing VanVleet and all he brought to the floor.

This injury doesn’t take the Rockets out of the running, and they could still be one of the best teams in the West, but it’s still a huge blow for them, especially with so much on the line in 2025-26.

The post Rockets Veteran Underwent Successful Surgery appeared first on The Cold Wire.