The Houston Rockets have suffered a massive blow in their quest to win the 2026 NBA championship days before the start of training camp. NBA insider Shams Charania reports that Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet has torn his ACL and could potentially miss the entire 2025-26 campaign.
VanVleet averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game for the Rockets in 2024-25. The 31-year-old had signed a two-year, $50 million deal this offseason, with a player option for the 2026-27 season. The deal has an implied no-trade clause, so the veteran is unlikely to be moved anytime soon.
According to The Athletic, VanVleet suffered the injury during minicamp in The Bahamas. The one-time All-Star is going to miss at the very least a big chunk of next season, and the Rockets now find themselves in a difficult position.
With VanVleet out of the picture, Reed Sheppard and Aaron Holiday are set for extended runs at that point guard spot.
Sheppard, the third pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, found playing time hard to come by during his rookie season. He put up just 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game in 2024-25.
As for Holiday, he averaged 5.5 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game. The Rockets re-signed the 29-year-old at the veteran’s minimum this offseason, and as of now, he’s going to play a far bigger role than they’d have envisioned.
A team that has title aspirations would ideally want better options at the point guard spot. The Rockets cannot sign anyone at the moment, though, as they are $1.25 million below the first apron. They will need to make a trade to sign a free agent.
You’d imagine that’s a route they will go down, having gone all-in this offseason by trading for Kevin Durant. They want to win now, and here are the best options still on the market for the Rockets.
4. Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons being a free agent in late September would have been unthinkable at one point, but his stock has plummeted in recent years. Simmons averaged just 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game for the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets in 2024-25.
There was some talk about Simmons retiring, but he has made it clear he isn’t walking away from the game just yet. As for why the Rockets should look into signing him, he can still provide value with his playmaking and remains a decent defender as well.
3. Cameron Payne
Cameron Payne has spent much of his career being a backup and played that role for the New York Knicks in 2024-25. Payne put up 6.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game in the campaign.
When he did get to start, though, Payne averaged 11.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game last season. He also shot 38.5% from three, and the Rockets certainly could use that outside shooting.
Payne has some experience playing in critical playoff games as well, having been a part of that 2020-21 Phoenix Suns team that made it to the NBA Finals. He won’t be a game-changer for the Rockets, but he can do a job for them.
2. Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is inevitably the first name that comes to mind as a replacement for VanVleet. Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game for the Denver Nuggets in 2024-25.
This would be a reunion in more ways than one. Westbrook would be reuniting with Durant, his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate, and that would be fascinating to see. He’ll also be returning to the Rockets after playing for them in the 2019-20 season.
Westbrook isn’t the player he was back then, but he remains a viable option at that point guard spot for any team.
1. Quentin Grimes
Quentin Grimes is the best replacement for the Rockets for VanVleet, but it is also unfortunately very unlikely that they get him. Grimes is a restricted free agent, and the Philadelphia 76ers can match any offer that gets put on the table.
Grimes averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game for the 76ers in 2024-25. It was the best season of his career by a mile, and the timing certainly was ideal for him.
At this point, the likeliest way for the Rockets to bring in Grimes would be a sign-and-trade. Will they want to go that route? Time will tell.
