Fred VanVleet’s road back to the floor has been a long one, but Houston is finally getting close to seeing what he looks like in game action again.
The Rockets guard tore his ACL about one month before the 2025-2026 season, and the usual recovery window for an NBA player returning from that injury is roughly nine to 12 months. VanVleet has now spent a year rehabbing, and he’s been a full participant in Houston’s training camp. The expectation is that he’ll make his preseason debut when the team heads to China in a few weeks.
VanVleet opened up about the injury recovery process in an interview with Space City Home Network’s Ryan Hollins, and he said the first call he received after the news broke came from Draymond Green.
“I had so many people reach out to me. A lot of people that I didn’t even know that had torn their ACLs specifically.
The first phone call that I got when the news broke was from Draymond Green. Like one second after Shams [Charania] put out the report, my phone rang.
I was still at the doctor… We still compete against each other, but there’s that aspect of the brotherhood that you don’t really know until you get the experience.”
Green hasn’t dealt with a major ACL injury himself, but he has seen plenty of it around him in Golden State over the years. Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, and DeMarcus Cousins all went through that setback during their time with the Warriors.
For VanVleet, this return carries real weight for Houston. He was a major rotational piece during Toronto’s 2019 championship run, then later became an All-Star point guard with the Raptors before signing with the Rockets in 2023.
Houston is coming off a 52-30 season, and expectations are high for the club to keep climbing in the Western Conference. VanVleet’s return adds veteran presence to the backcourt and gives the Rockets another important piece as they head into next month.
In 60 games last season, VanVleet averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. His scoring has dipped since his 2022 All-Star nod, but his passing and defense still matter plenty for Houston.
The Rockets’ preseason opener against the Dallas Mavericks should offer the first real look at where VanVleet stands physically. Scrimmages are one thing; facing another NBA team is a much different test. For now, he’ll keep working his way back into game speed during camp.
In Other News...
Rockets Face A Kevin Durant Dilemma That Could Reshape Everything
Kevin Durant still changes the conversation wherever he goes, but the way rival front offices now talk about him has shifted. He has a player option for the 2027-28 season, and even with his recent play still drawing praise, some around the league view him a little differently than they once did. For Houston, that matters because any early-season stumble could quickly turn a prized addition into a long-term question.
If the Rockets are not where they expect to be when the season opens, the idea of exploring a Durant trade would stop sounding abstract in a hurry. League observers have already started sketching possible landing spots and return packages, a reminder of how fast the calculus can change around a star of his stature. For a team trying to build something bigger, the next few months may determine whether Durant is a centerpiece for the future or the beginning of an entirely different conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Media Day Exposed Tension Behind Houstons Next Step
The Rockets used their 2026-7 Media Day to talk through a season that already feels loaded with expectations, and the message from the room was not especially tidy. Steven Adams looked ahead to a November stretch he expects to be lighter around the league, while executive Rafael Stone made clear how much the team still values Adams even with his injury history. It was the sort of day meant to project confidence, but the conversation kept circling back to how Houston wants to manage its veterans and where the next step really comes from.
Kevin Durant added another layer to that discussion by making clear he does not want his minutes reduced and wants to stay on the floor when the game calls for it. Coach Ime Udoka also left little doubt about how he views the organizations current position, saying the Rockets did not meet expectations last season and felt the group had plateaued. For a team trying to push past last years ceiling, that combination of urgency, restraint and dissatisfaction suggests the real work is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Jae'Sean Tate Still Matters More To The Rockets Than Fans Think
JaeSean Tate has spent much of his Rockets tenure in that frustrating middle ground between valuable and visible, a player coaches trust for his effort and versatility but one whose body has too often interrupted the rhythm of his role. Even last season, when his minutes picked up, it was largely because Houston was leaning on him while other players were unavailable, not because his place in the rotation suddenly became secure.
That is why Tates health still carries real weight for Houston as it tries to sort out the back end of its roster and daily availability. With key teammates dealing with their own injury questions, Tate could find himself needed more often than fans might expect, and the Rockets know by now that his presence tends to matter most when the team least plans for it. [Read more 🡒]