Why Fred VanVleet isn't playing for Rockets after bad injury news

The Houston Rockets are going with one of the tallest starting lineups in NBA history on opening night against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The reason for that, more than anything, is Fred VanVleet.

Or, more accurately, the lack of Fred VanVleet.

The Rockets are without their starting point guard due to injury. Their next man up is second-year guard Reed Sheppard, but the Rockets decided to bring him off the bench against the defending champs.

Why isn't Fred VanVleet playing?

Fred VanVleet isn't playing because of a bad injury.

When the Rockets were working out as a team this preseason in the Bahamas, VanVleet tore his right ACL.

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Is Fred VanVleet coming back this season?

At the time of VanVleet's injury, ESPN's Shams Charania wrote that FVV "could miss the entirety of the 2025-26 season."

He had his surgery in late September. It'd only be eight months between then and even late May, which is deep into the playoffs.

ACL recoveries generally take longer than that, but there'll be at least a small looming possibility of VanVleet trying to make a late-season comeback if the Rockets are winning.

Last season, VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game in the regular season and upped that to 18.7 points per game in the postseason. He's certainly a big loss for the Rockets.

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