Houston Rockets star level guard Fred VanVleet has suffered a torn ACL and will miss everything of the 2025-26 season, sources instructed ESPN on Monday.
He suffered the damage at a latest offseason exercise, sources instructed ESPN.
VanVleet, a one-time All-Star and former NBA champion (2019 with the Toronto Raptors), has helped spearhead the Rockets’ turnaround from lottery crew to playoff contender in his two seasons with Houston.
He signed a two-year, $50 million extension with the Rockets in June, with the deal together with a participant possibility in 2026-27.
A right away match after signing a three-year cope with the crew in the summertime of 2023, VanVleet helped Houston enhance from 22 wins to 41 in his first 12 months. The Rockets then received 52 video games final season to seize the No. 2 seed within the Western Convention, ending a four-year postseason drought.
He averaged 14.1 factors within the 2024-25 season, his fewest in a season since 2018-19, however averaged 18.7 factors per sport within the playoffs.
This now locations the main target at level guard on Reed Sheppard and Aaron Vacation, in addition to the franchise’s ascending two-way stalwart Amen Thompson. Barring a commerce, Houston can not fill their one open roster spot with a free agent as a result of they’re $1.25 million beneath the primary apron, in keeping with ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
VanVleet is a hard-nosed defender who succeeds on offense via playmaking and quantity 3-point capturing; he was second on the crew in 3-point makes an attempt per sport this previous season with 7.7. He tends to wrestle with effectivity, nonetheless, and he shot beneath 40% from the sector in 2024-25 for the fourth time in his profession.
The nine-year veteran has averaged 14.9 factors and 5.7 assists in his profession.
ESPN Analysis contributed to this report.