Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet suffered a torn ACL during a minicamp in The Bahamas, a league source confirmed to The Athletic on Monday, potentially dealing a blow to the team’s championship hopes.
The source said that initial imaging revealed the tear, which was a contact injury. Additional testing was planned to further gauge the injury, and VanVleet is likely to undergo surgery in Houston later this week.
The injury, which was first reported by ESPN, could be a serious setback for a team that was expected to rely heavily on the 31-year-old. VanVleet, who averaged 14.1 points and 5.6 assists last season, signed a two-year, $50 million deal over the summer after spending the last two seasons in Houston.
VanVleet was expected to be a crucial veteran piece for a Rockets team that’s been viewed as perhaps the biggest threat to the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, especially after Houston traded for superstar forward Kevin Durant over the summer to add to a team that won 52 games last season.
The Rockets should still be one of the top teams in the Western Conference with All-Stars like Durant and Alperen Şengün at the forefront, and up-and-comers like Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason serving in supporting roles. However, the Rockets were already facing questions about their depth at the point guard position even when VanVleet was healthy.
