NBA Trade Rumors: Insider links $118,048,000 star to join Kevin Durant on the Rockets after Fred VanVleet's injury

The Kevin Durant era in Houston hasn’t even begun, yet the Rockets are already facing a major setback, as guard Fred VanVleet tore his ACL and could miss the entire 2025-26 season, per an ESPN report.

VanVleet has been a key figure for Houston, bringing championship experience and veteran leadership to a young team that went 52-30 last year and grabbed the No. 2 seed in the stacked Western Conference.

To address his absence, NBA insider Bill Simmons suggested the Rockets might look into trading for Derrick White as a replacement.

“If you basically turn this VanVleet situation into Derrick White with some of your picks and make a real run this year, could you actually win the title with Derrick White? I think that’s a real question,” Simmons said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast.” (29:59 mark)

However, Simmons noted it won’t come cheap despite Boston still looking to trim its tax bill. He floated the idea of multiple picks and Reed Sheppard being included in such a deal.

“He’s a top 50 player,” Simmons said. “Going from Fred VanVleet to Derrick White, you’ve upgraded and made your team better.”

White is set to begin the first season of his four-year, $118 million contract with the Celtics, which includes a player option in the final year when he’ll be 34.

What are the Rockets’ alternatives after Fred VanVleet’s injury?

With Fred VanVleet sidelined, Houston will be without his averages of 14.1 points and 5.6 assists per game from last season, along with the steady leadership he provided.

Still, the Rockets have internal options, particularly young guards Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard, both recent high lottery picks.

They’re the most likely to fill the gap since the Rockets are hard-capped at the NBA’s first-apron threshold, leaving them with limited immediate options to reshape their roster.

More flexibility will come in December, when offseason signings become trade-eligible.

While a return for VanVleet later in the season is not impossible, ACL tears often sideline players for a full year, and his injury came less than a month before opening night.

With training camp approaching, all eyes will be on how coach Ime Udoka adjusts, as the Rockets remain a title contender led by All-Stars Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun.