The Los Angeles Lakers were set to have a challenging path towards one of the top three seeds in the Western Conference during the upcoming NBA season. However, one of their biggest competitors just suffered a crushing blow to the upcoming campaign.
Shams Charania broke the following news on Twitter/X: "Houston Rockets' Fred VanVleet has suffered a torn ACL, sources tell ESPN. A devastating, potentially season-ending loss for the Rockets with their starting point guard and leader."
That is a tough hit to a young team that was on the rise and went all-in on a Kevin Durant trade during the 2025 offseason. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game in 2024-25, serving as the Rockets' primary source of reliable play at the point guard position.
ACL tears are no joke. There is no guarantee VanVleet will play at all during the 2025-26 season due to injury recovery. The big-time absence for the Rockets will knock them down a notch, leaving the Lakers to usurp them by the end of the upcoming season.
Lakers stand to benefit most from Rockets’ sudden misfortune
After a dominant offseason push done with the intent of competing for a championship, the Rockets were being projected by most to comfortably assume a spot as one of the three to four best teams in basketball. That will be a lot more challenging to do without VanVleet.
If there is a clear weakness on the Rockets roster, it would be the lead guard position. VanVleet was by far the most reliable and proven option.
Now, a ton of pressure shifts to their young players. Reed Sheppard immediately gets put under a bright spotlight.
The former third overall pick appeared in 55 games for the Rockets during the 2024-25 season. Sheppard only averaged 4.4 points and 1.1 assists during 12.6 minutes per game, shooting 35.1 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Is the Rockets young guard ready for the responsiblity? Will Houston attempt to get creative with who can slide to the point guard spot instead?
While the Rockets scramble to figure things out, the Lakers will have a clear opportunity to establish themselves as one of the top teams in the Western Conference and stay there. Los Angeles have been gift-wrapped an easy schedule to start the year. If they can get going early, they should be able to fill the power vacuum at the top that this brutal injury has created.