The Houston Rockets’ star point guard, Fred VanVleet, has suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and could miss the entire 2025-26 season, according to sources close to the situation.
The injury occurred during a recent training session in the preseason, sources reported.
VanVleet, who was selected for the All-Star once and was an NBA champion in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors, has been fundamental in the transformation of the Rockets, going from being a lottery team to a playoff contender during his two seasons in Houston.Fred VanVleet, quien promedió 14.1 puntos la temporada pasada, liderando a los Rockets a 52 victorias y el segundo puesto en los playoffs de la Conferencia Oeste, sufre una rotura de LCA que podría dejarlo fuera de la temporada.In June, VanVleet signed a two-year, $50 million extension with the Rockets, with a player option for the 2026-27 season.
After signing a three-year contract with the team in the summer of 2023, VanVleet helped Houston improve from 22 to 41 wins in his first year. Last season, the Rockets won 52 games, securing the second spot in the Western Conference and ending a four-year playoff drought.
In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 14.1 points, his lowest figure since the 2018-19 season, although he averaged 18.7 points per game in the playoffs.
Now, the attention at the point guard position falls on Reed Sheppard, Aaron Holiday, and the promising Amen Thompson.
Unless a trade occurs, Houston cannot fill its vacant roster spot with a free agent, as they are $1.25 million below the first salary cap.
VanVleet is a tenacious defender who excels on offense thanks to his playmaking ability and his volume of 3-point shots; he was second on the team in 3-point attempts per game last season, with 7.7. However, he tends to struggle with efficiency and shot below 40% from the field in 2024-25, for the fourth time in his career.
The nine-year veteran has averaged 14.9 points and 5.7 assists in his career.
