No more playing! The starting core is out for the season! The Rockets have reignited their interest in Westbrook.

31-year-old VanVleet has torn his ACL and could be out for the season....The Rockets’ sole dependable guard for the upcoming season is suddenly lost.

Medical expert Jeffries noted that the usual recovery period for this type of injury is between 9 and 12 months.

Rockets reporter Spolane analyzed the team’s offensive efficiency over the last two seasons with and without VanVleet playing, as shown below:

With VanVleet: 23-24 regular season 114.6; 24-25 regular season 115.0; this year’s playoffs 115.3;

Without VanVleet: 23-24 regular season 108.1; 24-25 regular season 112.6; this year’s playoffs 86.3.

These stats clearly highlight VanVleet’s importance. His sudden injury casts a long shadow over the Rockets’ championship hopes for the new season. Last season, he averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game in the regular season, and in the playoffs, he posted 18.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1 steal per game.

By the way, this summer during the offseason, VanVleet signed a two-year, $50 million extension with the Rockets, with a player option in the second year. Because it’s a 1+1 deal, under the NBA’s “one-year Bird rights” rule, he automatically gains trade veto power, meaning he can’t be traded without his consent during the contract period.

At this point, there’s no use saying more.

The urgent priority now is to quickly find a player who can replace VanVleet.

Sportswriter Murrows reported that,the Rockets have recently explored Westbrook’s interest in returning to Houston; the two sides previously worked together in the 19-20 season.

However, the problem is that due to the hard salary cap restrictions, the Rockets must clear cap space via trade before signing anyone with a formal contract. Currently, the Rockets have only $1.25 million below the luxury tax threshold, which isn’t even enough to offer a minimum salary deal.

Therefore, another possibility is that the Rockets are counting on the 2024 third overall pick, Shepard, to develop quickly and take on the team’s primary playmaking duties, or have the 2.01m Amen fill in at point guard.

In any case, VanVleet is incredibly important—perhaps even more so than Durant—because he is nearly irreplaceable, especially in his role as the team’s engine. Wishing him a speedy recovery and a quick return to the court.