The Houston Rockets will likely be without Fred VanVleet for the entire 2025-26 season, which could completely derail their plans.
If they want to find a player to replace VanVleet, their options are limited, but they do have choices.
Bill Simmons listed five potential stars who could be acquired by the Rockets, but none of them would come to the team easily.
“I have five names. Number one, Ayo Dosunmu. They could probably patch some stuff together, maybe even throw some of their lesser picks and just grab him. Jose Alvarado. I don’t think that swings an OKC series, but I think that would help them. Scottie Pippen Jr. Could get him easily. Payton Pritchard, I think that’s the first one out of the names where you go, ‘That’s a guy that could actually play in a series against OKC and Minnesota,'” Simmons said.
Bill Simmons names 5 players Houston should target to replace Fred VanVleet:
Ayo Dosunmu
Jose Alvarado
T. J. McConnell
Scotty Pippen Jr
Payton Pritchard(? @ringer )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 24, 2025
Ayo Dosunma, Jose Alvardao, TJ McConnell, Scottie Pippen Jr., and Payton Pritchard could certainly provide support for the Rockets, but Houston would have to do a lot to land them.
They would need to cut salaries for a trade, which would obviously eat into the strong roster and chemistry they have built over the years.
Pritchard might be the most appealing of these five, because he has been doing great work for the Boston Celtics recently.
Plus, the Celtics have shown that they are open for business this summer, which means they could pick up the phone if Houston calls.
Although the Rockets might take a run at any of these players, there is also a very good chance that they will work with the men they already have.
Instead of shedding contracts and assets, they may just keep their current team and require multiple players to step up and attempt to pick up the slack.
Losing VanVleet is a huge headache for the Rockets, but they have some options aside from attempting to put together a trade just days before training camp.
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