Fred VanVleet’s future in Houston is suddenly a lot more open-ended than it was a year ago.
The Rockets never seriously appeared ready to move him, and after VanVleet suffered a season-ending knee injury last September, a trade wasn’t even on the table under NBA rules. His one-year, $25 million deal from last July included a player option for a second season, which meant he could block any trade because opting out would have cost him his Bird rights.
That protection is gone now. VanVleet is back with the Rockets after exercising his $25 million option in July, he’s healthy, and he’s now on an expiring contract. In a season where Houston is expected to take a real step forward, that makes his situation worth watching.
There’s no question VanVleet means a great deal inside the organization. When he signed as a free agent three years ago, he arrived as the steadying force for a young team that had done a lot of losing.
He brought structure, leadership and a level of professionalism that the Rockets badly needed. Alperen Sengun has called him “the team’s brain,” and that reputation still matters.
But the franchise is in a different phase now. The rebuild is over.
Houston needs to start winning, and winning big. VanVleet should get every chance to prove he can still play at the level he showed when he first joined the Rockets.
If he can’t get back there, though, the team has to be willing to look at upgrades at point guard, especially with free agency approaching.
That’s where the business side kicks in. Between now and the NBA’s February trade deadline, nobody can say exactly who will be available.
What is clear is that the Rockets will have plenty of tools if they decide to make a move. VanVleet’s expiring $25 million contract has value, and Houston also has young players on team-friendly deals who could draw interest.
Few teams can match the draft capital the Rockets hold.
They could end up with two lottery picks in June’s draft because of Phoenix’s first-round pick and the swap with Brooklyn. Then in 2029, they’ll have the right to the two most favorable first-round picks among their own, Phoenix’s and Dallas’, while controlling their own picks in the years after that.
None of that means Houston should rush to judgment on a player coming back from a major injury. It’s still a harsh league, though, and the clock can move fast. Rafael Stone has shown patience as the Rockets have climbed over the last three seasons, but after last season’s disappointment, the question is whether he’ll push harder if VanVleet doesn’t return to form.
Outside of the Kevin Durant trade, in which Houston acquired a player worth far more than what it gave up, that kind of urgency may be the next test.
In Other News...
Marcus Smart Is Giving The Rockets A Reason To Believe
Marcus Smart didnt need long to make his case in Houstons second preseason game, turning in a lively all-around effort that fit neatly with what the Rockets want from him. In 24 minutes, he brought scoring, rebounding and playmaking to the table, the kind of veteran presence that can stabilize a young roster and give Fred VanVleet another backcourt partner who can handle the ball or function away from it.
The bigger takeaway for the Rockets is how naturally Smarts versatility can slide into multiple lineup looks if the shot keeps following him. His three-point work was encouraging, and Houston will be watching to see whether cleaner shot selection can make that part of his game even more efficient as the season approaches. If it does, the Rockets may have more than just an experienced defender on their hands. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Opening Week Plan Sends An Early Message About Two Veterans
The Rockets are wasting little time making their rotation intentions clear in opening week. Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams will both sit the first back-to-backs to start the season, a move that says plenty about how Houston wants to handle two veterans it expects to lean on over the long haul. In Adams case, the approach fits a familiar pattern, with the team planning to manage his minutes and availability carefully after a lengthy injury history.
There is also an immediate ripple effect in the backcourt when VanVleet is unavailable. Instead of turning to Reed Sheppard, Houston plans to start Marcus Smart at point guard, giving the Rockets a more experienced hand to organize the offense while VanVleet rests. It is an early-season lineup wrinkle, but one that offers a useful glimpse at how the coaching staff sees the guard rotation unfolding when the schedule starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Open Against A Mavericks Frontcourt Problem That Could Matter Fast
Opening night brings the Houston Rockets a Dallas frontcourt that is already short-handed, and the matchup is shaped as much by availability as by star power. Kyrie Irving is set to make his return to NBA action for the Mavericks, but Dallas is dealing with several injured players and the big-man rotation is especially thin heading into the game.
Dereck Lively II is out because of right foot surgery, leaving an immediate hole in the middle for a team that could use every body it can get. Houston has its own injury watch to track as well, with Steven Adams and Julian Phillips listed as questionable, so the opening-week frontcourt picture is still fluid on both sides. [Read more 🡒]