Rockets Reportedly Won't Make 'Reactionary Moves' After Fred VanVleet's Knee Injury

Despite losing their starting point guard so close to the start of the regular season, the Houston Rockets aren't in a rush to replace Fred VanVleet right now.

Per NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Rockets won't make any "reactionary moves" after VanVleet suffered a torn ACL.

VanVleet injured his knee during a workout as he was preparing for the start of training camp. He posted a video on social media of him going into surgery and vowing to knock out his rehab.

When the news of VanVleet's injury broke, there was speculation about who the Rockets might look to bring in to replace his production. Russell Westbrook and Ben Simmons are among the notable free-agent point guards still available.

However, as Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints noted, the Rockets can't sign a veteran player to a minimum contract due to apron restrictions unless they can clear cap space.

The first key date on the calendar to watch is Dec. 15, which is when players who changed teams during the offseason become eligible to be traded.

This does give the Rockets an opportunity to see what Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft, can do in an expanded role. The Kentucky alum struggled to crack head coach Ime Udoka's rotation during his rookie season, playing a total of 654 minutes in 52 games.

While it is good for the Rockets to give a young player a chance to prove himself, this is a roster that they were counting on being ready to compete for a title this season, coming off a 52-win season in 2024-25.

Houston made a big move in the offseason to acquire Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns. He is supposed to be a finishing piece for a good roster.

VanVleet's injury doesn't necessarily take the Rockets out of title contention, but they will be putting a lot more on the plate for players like Sheppard, Aaron Holiday and Amen Thompson to set up the offense.