The Houston Rockets are heading into arguably their most anticipated season in the past few years. For starters, they are coming off an impressive 52-win season that saw them finish 2nd in a stacked Western Conference, and although they were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs, they pulled off a huge coup by acquiring Kevin Durant. As one would expect, this initially raised expectations through the roof, until Fred VanVleet’s injury.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Houston’s starting point guard had suffered a potential season-ending ACL injury. This comes as a massive blow for the Rockets, who were aiming to emerge as one of the top contenders from the West. As things stand right now, the storied organization is just $1.2 million under the first apron, which makes it almost impossible for them to sign a VanVleet replacement right away. However, almost may be the keyword here.

According to NBA Insider, Kevin O’Connor, waiving off Fred VanVleet, given that he has a no-trade clause on his two-year deal, might be a real option for the Rockets.

“Fred VanVleet still has a no-trade clause because of the two-year deal he signed, Kelly. So my question for you is, do you think with Fred VanVleet has $25 million deal? 
That’s a very, very, very tradeable number, but he has the no-trade clause. Do you have any indication or any insight into whether he’d be willing to waive that no-trade clause? Because that would be the piece. That would be if you wanted to move in the right (direction)?” He questioned his guest, Adam Levitan.

Levitan claimed the Houston front office won’t be thinking about waiving off their point guard and would instead trust their depth to hold at least until January. At the same time, the Rockets look like they want to go all-in this season, and they’ve already shown that through their commitment to not just Kevin Durant but also by locking in their younger players. Further, we have already seen the Milwaukee Bucks waive Damian Lillard due to injury this offseason, with the Boston Celtics also being forced into major changes to maintain financials after Jayson Tatum’s injury.

So, waiving off Fred VanVleet would actually give them the flexibility to go out there and find a replacement. However, VanVleet is integral to the way the Rockets play. He averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game last season while shooting at almost 49% overall. That, and the fact that the Rockets may not even have a lot of replacements to look at means that such a move remains highly unlikely.

Hence, the most obvious approach appears to be waiting until maybe January to make a move. If the season appears to be going downhill and a point guard is deemed the need of the hour, the Rockets look likely to hold on.

And while Houston has already been linked with several guards since Monday, none stand out more than veteran superstar Russell Westbrook. And waiving off Fred VanVleet might just give them enough space to accommodate KD’s former teammate. However, the question is whether they should take such a risk and cut loose a trusted star? Certainly not, especially if a potential replacement may already be on the books.

The Houston Rockets might have the perfect replacement for VanVleet

Although NBA Insiders have suggested that the Houston Rockets front office should cut off Fred VanVleet to keep their chances of emerging as the top team from the Western Conference alive, they actually might not have to take that risk, especially when the season hasn’t even begun. That’s because if there’s any team that can withstand the absence of their starting point guard, it’s got to be the Rockets. The organization has plenty of depth, which will help them replace VanVleet’s elite production.

While there are several options at Houston’s disposal, the biggest of them all is the No. 4 pick from the 2023 NBA Draft, Amen Thompson. While you might argue that the forward role he played last season for his team suits him better, the 22-year-old has played as a guard during his college days. However, that’s not even what makes him the best replacement option for Fred VanVleet; it’s rather the fact that he himself has attested to the fact that he’s improving his playmaking abilities.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Thompson noted that he’s improving his on-the-ball and playmaking skills this offseason. Last season, the six-foot-seven Rockets star averaged 5.8 assists per 100 possessions, which is pretty solid for a backup guard in the league. However, it might not be enough for a starting floor general, but here’s where the work he’s put in this summer will come into place, which could help him take his game to the next level. Now, will he be able to or not? That’s something we all might have to wait and watch as the season approaches.