The Houston Rockets were already one of the most intriguing teams coming into the upcoming NBA season, but they just got even more interesting.

After trading away a package that included Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Kevin Durant, there were high hopes for the Rockets coming into the new campaign. Unfortunately, however, Houston fans learned that 31-year-old guard Fred VanVleet recently suffered a torn ACL and could miss all of next season.

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There are a few free agents who could make sense as replacement candidates for VanVleet. However, as intriguing as a reunion with Russell Westbrook may sound on paper, the answer for the Rockets is internal: Amen Thompson.

More: 4 Fred VanVleet replacements for desperate Rockets

If the Rockets indeed slot Thompson down to the one, Houston may lack a traditional two-guard for the start of next season. But their actual replacement for VanVleet should come with Thompson, who is an early favorite NBA’s Most Improved Player next season.

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Already slated in the projected starting lineup for the Rockets, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft was due for a bigger role in Houston’s offense.

Several reporters noted that even before VanVleet’s injury, Thompson was expected to play more on-ball in the upcoming campaign.

Here is more from Chris Mannix (via SI.com):

“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.”

Thompson averaged 5.8 assists per 100 possessions last season, which is respectable but not enough for a lead guard.

But some interesting data about playmaking emerges when looking at the on-off splits for Thompson with VanVleet, per PBPStats.

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Last season, including the postseason, Thompson averaged 4.4 assists per 100 possessions during the 1,238 minutes he played with VanVleet. But that spiked to 7.2 during the 1,219 minutes without VanVleet. This was happening before Thompson could pass the ball to one of the best scorers ever, his new teammate Durant.

Expect the Rockets to play a bit faster, too. For a baseline, the average NBA offensive possession last 14.0 seconds last season. Houston averaged 15.4 seconds per offensive possession when VanVleet appeared with Thompson. But that jumped to 14.6 when Thompson appeared without VanVleet.

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While the Rockets have not fared well in games that VanVleet has not played, that actually had very little to do with Thompson.

Houston outscored opponents by 5.8 points per 100 possessions with both players on the court and a nearly identical 5.6 points per 100 when Thompson appeared without VanVleet.

The Rockets will certainly need more depth if they are relying on Thompson as their lead guard, but they will have internal options as well with 2024 No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard and Aaron Holiday. As for the playmaking, we can expect a stride forward for Thompson.

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This article originally appeared on For The Win: The perfect replacement for Fred VanVleet is already on the Rockets