While the timeline is not in his favor, the Houston veteran said it's still "possible" for him to play late in the season.
Fred VanVleet's playing availability stands as the biggest question for the Houston Rockets for the remainder of the season.
Houston Rockets / Schedule
In the wake of a stellar campaign as one of the top teams in the league, the Rockets remain hopeful that their veteran guard and leader will play this year. It remains to be seen if VanVleet will suit up in a Houston uniform after suffering from a torn ACL injury just days before the training camp.
VanVleet has addressed the possibility of playing this 2025-26 multiple times in the past. But the Rockets star offered his latest insight in his appearance on Ball in the Family Podcast as the team has finally entered the final leg of the season.
"Yeah, it's possible," VanVleet answered if he sees himself coming back later this season. "The timeline is not in my favor. You know what I'm saying? Nobody really comes back from an ACL injury in six months.
"It's probably not the smartest thing to do, but I don't want to rule it out just from the standpoint like if I feel good at the end of the year and I feel like I can hoop and they telling me I can hoop, like I'm going to want to play. But we'll see."
Kyrie Irving suffered from a torn ACL injury a year ago, but the Dallas Mavericks have ruled him out for the 2025-26 season.
Although the Mavs' awful standing might have contributed to Irving's eventual season status, it also only shows how challenging an ACL recovery is from physical and mental standpoints. Not to mention, the long-term playing capability is also a key factor.
Regardless of whether VanVleet will play or not this season, Houston can only be prepared to compete for a title with Kevin Durant at the front.
Despite VanVleet being sidelined, they are currently the No. 3 seed in the West with a 38-22 record, which shows they have a shot at a championship.
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