Fred VanVleet believes the Houston Rockets have everything needed to compete for an NBA championship next season.
After missing the entire 2025-26 campaign because of a torn ACL and meniscus, the veteran guard is preparing for his return and is optimistic about both his health and Houston’s future.
The former NBA champion recently exercised his $25 million player option and has been training throughout the offseason, saying he “feels like a rookie again” ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Despite acknowledging there is still room for improvement, VanVleet is confident the Rockets can contend for the league title.
“We can win a championship next year,” VanVleet told Erik Horne of Andscape. “But that’s internal.”
The 32-year-old won an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors in 2019 and earned his lone All-Star selection during the 2021-22 season.
VanVleet has played 9 seasons for the Raptors and Rockets. He has averaged 14.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds in 550 regular-season games.
He was selected to play in 1 All-Star game, and has won 1 NBA championship.
Fred VanVleet Talks ACL Recovery, Optimism For 2026/27 https://t.co/oQRZrTARI8
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) July 18, 2026
