Former NBA champion and one-time All-Star Fred VanVleet has reportedly torn his ACL. This injury may keep him out for the full 2025-26 season as well. The injury is a crushing blow for VanVleet and the Houston Rockets. While they’re certainly keen to continue from where they left off last season, this injury sets up a huge roadblock.
VanVleet was a member of the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 NBA championship team. Having joined the Rockets over two seasons ago now, McHale was integral in the shocking turnaround of the franchise from a perennial lottery team to a playoff contender. Last season, the Rockets celebrated their return to the postseason after a four-year drought, finishing with an impressive 52 wins and securing the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
In his first season with the Rockets, VanVleet contributed to raising the team’s win total from 22 victories all the way up to 41. Under the previous leadership, that experience became invaluable. His 14.1 points per game scored during the regular season was his lowest scoring output since the 2018-19 campaign. Although his scoring dropped significantly, VanVleet made up for it with a playoff resurgence. He averaged an astounding 18.7 points per game in the playoffs alone.
When VanVleet agreed to the terms of the UFA with Houston back in June, he put down a fundamental marker. He then signed a two-year, $50 million extension with a player option for the 2026-27 season. This deal further cemented his value to the club and their hopes of building on their breakout, playoff-bound season from a year ago.
After the recent ACL tear that now leaves VanVleet’s future in Houston in doubt. The potential for a lengthy recovery period raises concerns not only for his health but for the team’s performance in the upcoming season. The Rockets need to recalibrate their approach starting now. Now they must contend with the possibility of losing one of their superstar players.
Leave a Reply