The Houston Rockets spent the summer dreaming big.
With two-time champion and Finals MVP Kevin Durant now in town and a young core on the rise, the franchise was ready to chase its first championship in nearly three decades.
[ALSO READ: Kevin Durant headed to Houston Rockets in blockbuster trade — report]
Then came the gut punch.
Senior NBA insider Shams Charania reported that point guard Fred VanVleet suffered a torn ACL and is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season.
Just in: Houston Rockets' Fred VanVleet has suffered a torn ACL, sources tell ESPN. A devastating, potentially season-ending loss for the Rockets with their starting point guard and leader.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 22, 2025
VanVleet, a former All-Star and 2019 NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors, was a key figure in the Rockets’ jump from 22 wins in 2023-24 to 52 last season. Houston earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference but lost in seven games to the Golden State Warriors in the first round.
He averaged 14.1 points last season, his lowest since 2018-19, but increased that to 18.7 per game in the playoffs.
VanVleet signed a two-year, $50 million extension with Houston in the offseason and was expected to pair with Durant to lead a young roster that includes Alperen Sengün and Amen Thompson.
Instead, the Rockets will turn to rookie Reed Sheppard, second-year guard Thompson and veteran Aaron Holiday to handle playmaking duties.
In 550 career games, VanVleet has averaged 14.9 points, 5.7 assists and 3.5 rebounds. He was an All-Star in 2022, becoming the fourth undrafted player to make the game, joining John Starks (1994), Ben Wallace (2003-06) and Brad Miller (2003-04).
Houston opens the season on the road against defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
[ALSO READ: SGA, Thunder begin title defense vs Durant, Rockets; Curry-James duel opens 2025-26 season]
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.
