Houston Rockets Spencer Dinwiddie
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Houston doesn’t need a splashy trade. A low-risk guard move could quietly stabilize a real contender in the West.
The Houston Rockets entered the 2025-26 season facing a major question at point guard after Fred VanVleet suffered a season-ending ACL injury before opening night. Yet halfway through the season, the Rockets may not need to sacrifice assets at the trade deadline to stabilize the position. Instead, a simpler solution may already be available.
Veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie, currently a free agent after a brief stint with FC Bayern Munich, has openly expressed interest in joining Houston. And given the Rockets’ roster makeup, their current standing in the Western Conference, and VanVleet’s uncertain recovery timeline, Dinwiddie represents a low-risk answer to a high-leverage problem.
Dinwiddie Sees Houston as the Right Fit
Appearing on the Buckets Don’t Stop podcast, Dinwiddie made his intentions clear.
“I’d love to go to the Rockets,” Dinwiddie said. “One of my best NBA friends, Dorian Finney-Smith, is on the Rockets. And I think, the Fred VanVleet injury really hurt them. I think they have all the makings of having that championship-type team.”
Dinwiddie outlined his envisioned role directly.
“They have young talent in Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson. They got a great post-up threat and creator in Alperen Sengun. You got an all-time, all-world scorer in Kevin Durant. And I think I’m a guard that can go in there, catch and shoot off of Sengun and KD, set the table… just letting them score.”
Dinwiddie was last seen in action on an NBA court in the 2024-25 season as a member of the Dallas Mavericks as part of their postseason run to the NBA Finals. In that stint, Dinwiddie was averaging 11.0 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.6 rebounds in 79 games. Similar to his role next former Mavericks-now Los Angeles Laker star guard Luka Doncic, Dinwiddie is not looking to be a lead offensive engine. He is looking to play a complementary role as a facilitator that help get everyone involved as a floor general for an already high-powered offense.
Houston’s Offense Is Thriving, But With Clear Cracks
Despite the absence of a traditional floor general, Houston has stayed afloat and more. The Rockets sit fourth in the Western Conference at 28-16, just two games behind the second seed San Antonio Spurs.
Offensively, the numbers are strong. Houston ranks fourth in offensive rating at 118.5, trailing only the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Denver Nuggets. They are also one of the league’s most efficient shooting teams, converting 47.8 percent from the field and 37 percent from three, both ranking top-ten in league. However, those strengths mask a growing postseason concern.
Houston ranks 23rd in assists per game and 26th in turnovers. That lack of ball movement and decision-making discipline becomes magnified in playoff basketball, where defenses load up, possessions slow, and half-court execution decides series.
Third-year guard Amen Thompson deserves credit. Thrust into a pseudo-point guard role, the former lottery pick has exceeded expectations. Thompson is averaging a career-high 18.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game at the season’s midpoint.
He has handled the responsibility better than anticipated. Still, Thompson is not a natural organizer. His strength lies in pressure, athleticism, and transition play, not in consistently setting the table for elite scorers over long stretches. That gap is where Dinwiddie fits.
VanVleet’s Status Adds Urgency, but Also Flexibility
It should be noted that despite reports of his timetable before the start of the season, the Rockets have not yet ruled out a possible return this season for VanVleet ahead of the playoffs.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon addressed the situation in early January on the Howdy Partners podcast after speaking with VanVleet.
“Fred VanVleet may be returning for the playoffs, for the Houston Rockets. The playoffs would be about seven months (since the injury) for Fred. But he has said this on his podcast, and I talked to him after watching him do spot-up shooting on the court in Dallas.”
“He told me it was definitely a goal of his, to come back in time for the playoffs,” McHahon continued. “His surgeon has told him it’s a possibility. That is what he is training for, that’s what he’s shooting for. It is a goal, it is not a guarantee. He said, ‘I’m not going to do anything crazy.’ That means, if the medical feedback is ‘You’re not ready, you’re at risk,’ then he’s not going to push through. He’s not going to be stubborn about it. But the Rockets are open to the possibility, and VanVleet is working toward that.”
If VanVleet were to return before the postseason, he would be coming back two months before the typical timetable for an ACL injury recovery which is about nine months. Not unprecedented, but would quite the risk.
Even if VanVleet were to come back, it would be unlikely that Rockets dump the starting position back on him right away in midst of postseason play. This still leaves the door open for Dinwiddie to act as further guard depth and lighten the load for VanVleet as potentially ramps up for a playoff run.
For a Houston Rockets team that seems unwilling to part with notable pieces like even Tari Eason, it is highly unlikely that they make any trade for a point guard but Dinwiddie’s combination of being an affordable late season pickup, familiarity with Kevin Durant and his direct fit for a team need, he could be the perfect interim for Houston.