Rockets’ Fred VanVleet Reportedly Has Torn ACL Injury, Could Miss 2025-26 NBA Season

The Houston Rockets reportedly could be without Fred VanVleet for the entire 2025-26 season after he suffered a torn ACL this offseason.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday that the guard suffered the injury and noted it is a “devastating, potentially season-ending loss for the Rockets.”

Houston finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference last season and then added Kevin Durant this offseason after losing to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

The message was clear that the Rockets were all-in on chasing a championship in 2025-26, although those title chances just took quite the hit with the VanVleet injury. While he wasn’t going to lead the team in scoring this season, he is a veteran leader who controls the pace, facilitates for others and takes important shots in key moments.

VanVleet averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game last season, which was his second with Houston.

He previously won a championship with the Toronto Raptors and was an All-Star during the 2021-22 campaign with the Eastern Conference team. 

VanVleet’s injury puts far more pressure on Reed Sheppard to develop into an impact point guard after the Rockets selected him with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NBA draft. The Kentucky product was a secondary contributor as a rookie and averaged 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists a night while shooting 35.1 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from deep.

Unless the Rockets make an outside addition such as signing Russell Westbrook, he will surely see significantly more playing time. If Sheppard can make a second-year leap, it can help Houston tread water and remain a threat in the Western Conference even without VanVleet.

Look for Aaron Holiday to also see more time in the backcourt rotation as a veteran point guard who can look to set Durant, Alperen Şengün and Co. up for easier looks.

Houston has some options and could look for an external addition, but its ceiling is now lower heading into the season without VanVleet.

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