May 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Cameron Payne (1) looks on in the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Apr 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Knicks guard Delon Wright (0) reacts after making a three point shot against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Apr 11, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Markelle Fultz (20) before the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Sep 7, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Russell Westbrook attends the game between the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Apr 11, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets received the worst possible early-season news on Monday when it was revealed that starting point guard Fred VanVleet tore his ACL during a recent offseason workout. VanVleet could possibly return later in the year, but it is more likely that he will miss Houston's entire 2025-2026 season as he recovers.

This is awful timing for the Rockets, to put it lightly. Not only were they already very thin at point guard — starting small forward Amen Thompson is currently slated as the starting point guard on the team depth chart, only because he usually runs the bench minutes — but they're also without many viable options to fill in the gaps for VanVleet. That VanVleet gets injured now, right as the Rockets were prepared to ascend to contender status with Kevin Durant, is like a rotten cherry on top of the cake.

That's because his injury came after free agency and after 29 other NBA teams (not you, Golden State Warriors), including the Rockets, more or less had their final regular-season rosters set in place. No one is doing much tinkering in late September! That means there's really not much players to pursue on the open market that wouldn't likely be fliers or role-playing fill-ins this close to the preseason.

We're going to give it the old college try anyway. Here are four possible replacement options for the Rockets to consider in the wake of VanVleet's injury. Again, I reiterate, none of these players are particularly inspiring.

Just, give them a chance.

4. Cameron Payne

Last team: New York Knicks

Payne has spent most of his NBA career primarily in a reserve role. For the most part, he hasn't really offered much. But when given the opportunity to play the extended minutes for the sterling Phoenix Suns of the early 2020s, he proved to be somewhat dependable, averaging over 10 points a game with decent 3-point shooting splits (over 38 percent) and assist numbers for someone only playing just about 20 minutes a night. Payne wouldn't nearly give the Rockets as much juice as VanVleet, but he can play in the right system with the right role.

3. Delon Wright

Last team: New York Knicks

What Wright lacks in offensive prowess, he makes up for as a reliable defender. By no means will he lock someone up at the point of attack, but he can execute a game plan and be enough of a pest to force an occasional adjustment. He's also not the worst passer and could probably survive as the fifth option in an offensive hierarchy. Coincidentally, that is probably what he'd be with the Rockets.

2. Markelle Fultz

Last team: Sacramento Kings

A former No. 1 overall pick, Fultz was supposed to be the face of a point guard generation when the Philadelphia 76ers drafted him in 2017. But injuries robbed Fultz of the offensive spark he had in college with Washington, and he has never quite been able to reach those same heights. Even still, he's carved out a respectable role as a role-playing floor general, with a solid career average of roughly 10 points and 4.4 assists per game. (Unfortunately, he's not the best shooter still, but that's something you live with.) The Rockets could do a lot worse in a dire situation.

1. Russell Westbrook

Last team: Denver Nuggets

Yes, Westbrook isn't nearly as athletic as he used to be (he's still probably in the top one percent of NBA athletes, though). Yes, his propensity for chaos hurts more than ever, given how much his production has generally declined and that he's usually doing his damage in a smaller role these days. Nonetheless, Westbrook had a resurgent year next to Nikola Jokić last season, proving he can still attack the rim with the best of them while also still serving as an above-average on-ball defender. That's not nothing.

As long as the Rockets are willing to live with Westbrook's worst impulses, he's likely the best option they have in the wake of VanVleet's injury.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: 4 Fred VanVleet replacements for desperate Rockets

Reporting by Robert Zeglinski, For The Win / For The Win

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect