Team s brain Van Vreet s ligament torn or season reimbursement, Rockets prospects for championship clouded

Translator's note: The original text was published in Yahoo Sports. The data in the article were as of the time of the original text (September 23 local time). The dates and times involved were local time

According to several sources, Rockets' starting point guard Fred Van Vreett suffered a torn ACL in a team mini training camp match held in the Bahamas last week. Van Vreett, 31, is expected to undergo surgery later this week.

This news came very unusually for the team, because training camp is about to start with just one week left, and after 14th All-Star forward Kevin Durant in the offseason, the team is turning their goal to compete for the championship. In the past two seasons, Van Vreet has established himself as head coach Ime Uduka's extension on and off the court, providing the Rockets' youngsters with a tactical system, much-needed on-court space and ball possession guarantees. The Rockets rewarded him with a two-year, $50 million early contract renewal during this offseason.

The team's current options are limited in terms of seeking external assistance. The Rockets are currently subject to hard salary cap restrictions on the first-tier luxury tax line (expected to $195.9 million), which prevents them from seeking veteran defenders in the free agent market, including Seth Curry, Malik Beasley and Russell Westbrook. The team also renewed its contract with several of its own players this offseason, including Jabbarry Smith Jr., Steven Adams, Jayshaun Tate and Aaron Holiday, so they can't be traded until mid-December, let alone the Rockets don't want to lose more players.

Although Van Vreett's shooting performance has fluctuated over the past two seasons, his ability to stabilize the team in half-court offense (his turnover rate last season surpassed 94% of the league's players according to Cleaning the Glass) will be deeply missed by the team - in addition to his organizational role and continuous efforts on the defensive end. The Rockets now have to transfer most of Van Vreet's work to defenders Amen Thompson and Reed Shepard.

Thompson just experienced an explosive season. Not only was he selected for the All-Defensive Team, but he also averaged nearly 4 assists in 69 starts. Taking on more organizational tasks will only speed up his rapid development. Jaylen Green's departure opened the door to more opportunities for Thompson, and Van Vreet's unfortunate injury strengthened this.

For Shepard, the sophomore defender has just experienced a volatile rookie season and an unstable summer league, and more questions will be raised about whether he can take on the heavier workload so quickly. However, the Rockets management still highly evaluated Shepard's ability, and this belief was recognized by other players on the team.

"The more our young players can stand up, be prepared and progress, the more buffering the veterans will be given," Van Vreet said earlier this year. "The better Reed Shepard plays, the less I need to be on the court. This is basic common sense in basketball." Van Vreet's team is seeking opinions on a potential recovery schedule, and they hope the 31-year-old guard will return before the playoffs, but for such injuries, it's not common to return before the playoffs.

At the same time, training camps will provide important opportunities for Rockets' trials. Uduka will need to determine what his brand new starting lineup will look like without Van Vreet. Entering the new season, the Rockets still have one of the deepest lineups in the league, and Uduka can rely on the team's rich height, wingspan and comprehensive defense. For example, the Rockets could have Thompson as starting point guard, with Dorian Finney Smith, Durant, Smith and starting center Alperen Shinkin supporting him.

Shin Kyung has just experienced an All-Star season and has performed well in the European Basketball Championship. He has all the potential to be a superstar and is already a capable pass-type inside player. Durant is also an efficient ball holder and can assume the duties of point guards at certain times.

Van Vreet's injury undoubtedly cast a shadow on the Rockets' chances for championships, but the Rockets still have enough talent to become a strong team in the West.

Author: Kelly Iko

Translator: GWayNe