The first injury of the 2024–25 season comes before the season and it’s a doozy: Fred VanVleet, Houston’s starting point guard, has a torn right ACL and is expected to miss the season. VanVleet, 31, reportedly suffered the injury during a workout with the team in the Bahamas last weekend. It’s a body blow for a Rockets team that, following the offseason addition of Kevin Durant, expected to compete for a title. 

Let’s look at a few key questions:

It means Houston, we have a (point guard) problem. VanVleet has been a workhorse in his two seasons with the Rockets. He played 73 games in 2023–24, averaging 36.8 minutes per game. Last season, he suited up for 60, playing 35.2 minutes per night. Of the 133 games VanVleet played in, all of them were starts

While VanVleet’s shooting numbers dipped last season—he shot 37.8%, the lowest since he became a full-time starter and just above his three-point percentage (34.5%)—he was a steady, low-turnover playmaker who capably led Ime Udoka’s offense. 

Amen Thompson, Houston’s 6′ 7″ star in waiting, will likely get a look as lead playmaker. Thompson is among the NBA’s best prospects, a defensive menace (he was named to the All-Defensive first team last season) who already ranks among the top guard rebounders (8.2 per game). With the departures of Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green in the Durant deal, Thompson was already expected to take on a larger role. VanVleet’s injury will make it even bigger. 

Interestingly, during a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Thompson noted that improving his playmaking was a priority this offseason. Thompson told SI that he decamped in South Florida this summer with his twin brother, Ausar, working on ball handling in anticipation of having more on-ball responsibilities while preparing to be better at being an extension of the coaching staff on the floor. 

“I feel like I really worked on really all aspects of my game and my confidence is through the roof,” Thompson says. “Not just with myself, but with the team. I feel ready.”

Aaron Holiday represents an experienced option. Holiday, 28, has been a reliable backup in Houston the last two seasons, though he has never cracked more than 17 minutes per game. A wild card is Reed Sheppard. Sheppard, the third pick in the 2024 draft, played sparingly in Houston last season. But he was an outstanding three-point shooter in college (52.1%) and expectations are sky high he will be able to contribute more this season.

Not necessarily. VanVleet was a critical part of the Rockets’ success last season, and his contributions to a young team go well beyond the numbers. Still, Thompson is poised for a big jump. Sheppard could be ready for one, too. There is depth, albeit unproven, at the position. 

As giddy as Rockets officials have been about the arrival of Durant, they have been consistent: The development of Houston’s young stars will be the key to a deep playoff run. That was true before VanVleet’s injury. It’s even more true now.

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