One of the biggest threats to the OKC Thunder winning back-to-back titles this coming year has just been dealt some devastating news.
As first reported by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet suffered a torn ACL this week, an injury that is considered to be "potentially season-ending."
Considering he's an established All-Star and champion, plays the most important position in the sport, and is the primary guard of the team with the fourth-best odds of dethroning Oklahoma City this coming campaign, his loss is considered to be a significant blow for Houston and, among their faithful followers, the fall of yet another perceived competitor to the Thunder's repeat hopes.
However, despite the clear blow VanVleet's injury may wind up having on the Rockets' preseason title odds, there's no reason to believe they will just somehow become a mere doormat opponent during OKC's second-straight championship push.
Even without him, they still are built to be a serious problem out in the Western Conference.
Thunder can't afford to overlook Rockets sans Fred VanVleet
The Rockets may not have VanVleet available to them for the first half, if not the entirety of the 2025-26 season, but they'll still be boasting one of the most stacked rosters the NBA currently has to offer.
Not only are they being led by 7-foot All-Star Alperen Sengun, who's fresh off a career-best campaign where he dropped 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per night on 49.6 percent shooting from the floor, but right alongside him as his co-star is the future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant.
While he may be at the ripe age of 36 and is entering into his 18 go-around in the association, after dropping 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks on 43.0 percent shooting from the floor last year, it's more than apparent that KD still has plenty to offer on the basketball court.
In addition to these top-end heavy hitters, Houston's supporting cast is fleshed out with the likes of budding two-way star Amen Thompson, trusty 3&D forward Dorian Finney-Smith, board-gobbling and paint-protecting extraordinaire Steven Adams, and last year's number three overall pick Reed Shepard.
Add all of this to the fact that they are run by one of the game's best headmen in Ime Udoka and could realistically end up finding a cost-efficient, one-year replacement option at point guard on the open market (Russell Westbrook, anyone?), and it's obvious that, while perhaps not as menacing on the surface without VanVleet, the Rockets are far from an afterthought opponent in the West.
Even with their clear edge in the odds department, as well as the sheer fact that the vast majority of their title-winning core is set to return, the Thunder cannot afford to think otherwise.