Fred VanVleet’s chances of returning this season appear to be fading as the Rockets approach the playoffs, according to Varun Shankar of the Houston Chronicle.
The veteran point guard has been out since September with a torn ACL. Although he had expressed hope earlier this month about a possible comeback, head coach Ime Udoka indicated that his current recovery stage makes that unlikely.
“On-court shooting, cutting, moving, non-contact. That’s pretty much the extent of the on-court (work),” Udoka said. “ … (Contact will) come soon but you’re obviously not looking at playing if you’re not getting on the court and making contact this late in the season.”
Still, general manager Rafael Stone stressed VanVleet’s value to the team moving forward.
“He’s a big part of what we’ve done over the last two years and we expect he’s going to be a big part of what we do moving forward,” Stone said. “He’s literally the toughest NBA player I’ve ever met. If he can play, he’ll play.”
The Rockets are currently sixth in the Western Conference, just one game behind Denver for fourth place.
Southwest Notes: VanVleet, Williams, McLaughlin, Nembhard https://t.co/G7DzdhZgPg pic.twitter.com/14CNf7L4Z8
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 26, 2026
