Rockets guard VanVleet suffers torn ACL, potentially season-ending
Injury during Bahamas minicamp could sideline veteran guard; surgery planned this week.
Houston — Rockets guard Fred VanVleet suffered a torn ACL during a team minicamp in the Bahamas, a diagnosis that could sideline him for the season, sources said Monday. ESPN's Shams Charania reported the injury and that VanVleet will undergo surgery this week. Yahoo Sports' Kelly Iko reported that the injury occurred during the Bahamas session.
Charania characterized the development as a potentially season-ending loss for Houston, which had been counting on VanVleet as a veteran cornerstone as it pursued a playoff push this season. VanVleet signed a two-year, $50 million contract extension with a player option for the 2026-27 last offseason. ACL injuries typically carry a recovery window of roughly six to 12 months, meaning he could miss most of the upcoming campaign, at best. If the diagnosis proves long-term, Houston would face a significant void at guard at a time when it was counting on VanVleet to anchor its backcourt. Houston's turnaround since his arrival in 2023 had been dramatic: the Rockets went from 22 wins to 41 wins, and they finished the previous season with VanVleet averaging 14.1 points per game in the regular season and 18.7 in the postseason. This would be VanVleet's 10th NBA season and his third in Houston. The guard signed with Toronto in 2016 after going undrafted; he helped the Raptors win the 2019 title. In seven seasons in Toronto, he averaged 14.6 PPG, 5.3 APG and 3.3 RPG.
The Rockets' current payroll limits the ability to replace him, placing a heavier burden on second-year point guard Reed Sheppard to shoulder more of the workload and keep Houston on track for its goals.
