The 2025-26 season is yet to begin but disaster has already struck for the Houston Rockets. They were heading into the new campaign with high hopes after they brought in Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade with the Phoenix Suns, but their point guard situation is going to be a mess after Fred VanVleet suffered a torn ACL during an offseason workout.
VanVleet is now hard at work towards an eventual return, although the usual timeline for recovery from a torn ACL would suggest that he'll be missing the entirety of the 2025-26 campaign. This has then changed the flow of things for the veteran point guard, as he wasn't present for the Rockets' media day session on Monday.
Nevertheless, it sure does look like VanVleet is in good spirits. He posted on his official account on X (formerly Twitter) a short video documenting his rehab process while shedding light on one of the few positives of missing out on media day.
“Media day looked a lil different this year. Atleast I didn’t have to do interviews 😂 ready to see the guys compete🔥,” VanVleet wrote.
Media day looked a lil different this year. Atleast I didn’t have to do interviews 😂 ready to see the guys compete🔥 pic.twitter.com/9a6gjg6JVN
— Fred VanVleet (@FredVanVleet) September 30, 2025
Of course, VanVleet is simply looking at the bright side of what is otherwise a very grim situation. He's such a crucial piece of the Rockets' system; they went 41-19 with him last year and just 11-11 with him on the mend.
VanVleet's scoring efficiency is far from the best, and he can be such a huge culprit for when the Rockets' offense becomes a major brickfest. But he's like an extension of head coach Ime Udoka whenever he's out on the hardwood, and he is a strong defensive backbone for Houston on the perimeter.
Wishing the 31-year-old floor general a speedy recovery.
How do the Rockets deal with Fred VanVleet's absence?
One would have to assume that the Rockets will begin the 2025-26 season with one of their in-house options stepping up as the starting point guard amid VanVleet's absence. Amen Thompson was drafted as a point guard, but he may not fit what Houston needs from a floor general considering how challenging they could find scoring from the perimeter to be despite bringing in Durant.
Reed Sheppard looms large as a potential breakout candidate; the third overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft has been deemed as one of the best pure shooters in the NBA, but whether or not he manages to put it together enough to earn the starting point guard role in his sophomore season remains to be seen.
