Fred VanVleet stood courtside in Las Vegas this week watching Summer League games, just like dozens of other NBA veterans. But for Rockets fans, the sight of their injured point guard actually talking about his recovery was the real action.
VanVleet missed significant time late last season with a leg injury, and Houston kept winning anyway — 52 games, the No. 5 seed in the West, all without their veteran floor general. But the question hanging over the summer was whether he’d be back for the start of the 2026-27 season. Wednesday, he gave a pretty clear answer.
“I’m getting stronger, getting better. So it’s a slow process,” VanVleet said. “I’m eager and ready to get back out there. But I’ve got to follow protocols. So I should be good for the start of the season. Just getting stronger, trying to get the leg back right. Long days, two-a-days. But we’ve got a great rehab team with the training staff here with the Rockets. I’m ready to get back out on the court.”
A team that proved it could survive without him
The Rockets didn’t just tread water when VanVleet went down. They kept winning. Kevin Durant looked comfortable in Houston’s system. Amen Thompson took a leap. Alperen Sengun became more aggressive offensively. Ime Udoka’s defense stayed stingy. The whole thing suggested maybe the Rockets didn’t need VanVleet the way they once did.
But there’s a difference between surviving and thriving. And the playoffs exposed some of that. Without VanVleet’s ball control and defensive IQ, Houston’s offense got sloppy in tight moments. They got bounced in the second round. That’s where a guy who’s been through championship runs in Toronto makes a difference.
VanVleet’s path to this moment is still one of the best stories in the league. Undrafted out of Wichita State in 2016. Earned a spot through Summer League — the very same event where he’s now standing and talking about his recovery. Became a key piece of the Raptors’ 2019 title. Dropped 54 points in a game for the franchise record. Made an All-Star team in 2022. Then signed with Houston in 2023 and immediately became the adult in the room for a young team trying to figure out how to win.
The Rockets have the talent. Thompson looks like a future All-Defense guy. Sengun is a nightly triple-double threat. Durant is still Durant. But adding a healthy VanVleet back into that mix changes the math, especially in a Western Conference where a single possession can decide a series.
So the update from Las Vegas was basically this: VanVleet is on track. The rehab is going. And barring a setback, he’ll be on the floor when the Rockets open the season. For a team that already proved it could win without him, getting him back might be the difference between a good season and a real run.
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