Fred VanVleet’s season-ending injury was a major blow to the Houston Rockets, leaving a significant void in the point guard department.
While head coach Ime Udoka has made do with his point guard depth, the importance of VanVleet’s presence on the floor was felt on Monday night when they came apart against the Los Angeles Lakers. This saw ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith share his blunt take on the Rockets’ chances for the remainder of the season.
Stephen A. Smith Gives the Fred VanVleet-less Rockets a Harsh Reality Check
“I think they’ve hit this ceiling, and I think they’ve hit this ceiling because they don’t have a point guard. That’s really what this comes down to,” Smith said on ESPN’s First Take.
“The point guard was so important to the Houston Rockets that I came into this season saying that had Fred VanVleet not gone down, I would have had them as a title favourite because that’s how much I believe in who they are and what they can do if you have a point guard.”
“If you don’t have a floor general, and it’s inexplicable to me why they didn’t go out and make sure they got a point guard throughout this entire season,” the analyst added.
.@stephenasmith says the Rockets have “hit their ceiling” because they don’t have a point guard 👀 pic.twitter.com/kQCq1HFBDA
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 17, 2026
Smith’s comments come on the back of the Rockets’ 100-92 loss to the in-form Los Angeles Lakers. The offense sputtered for the hosts as the Purple and Gold capitalized on the Rockets’ fumbles to pull away with a win after what was a neck-and-neck game for much of the contest. The absence of a creative offense generator was clearly felt.
The Rockets have been using Amen Thompson as their playmaker with the likes of Reed Sheppard and JD Davison as backup floor generals. However, the team has struggled without VanVleet, an astute, high-IQ point guard who dictates the team’s offense.
While Sheppard comes in as a bona fide point guard, it appears the second-year star has yet to be given that role where he can call plays for the Rockets, who have played solid ball throughout the season.
On the injury front, VanVleet’s season-ending knee injury has seen him on the sidelines throughout their 2025-26 season. The hope for the Rockets is that the 32-year-old might return to action at some point this season.
Up next, the Rockets take on the Lakers at home for the second time, hoping to bounce back with a win. With their playoff seeding on the line, the VanVleet-less Houston outfit will look to cement its position as one of the top-five seeds in the West. At the time of writing, they are fourth with a 41-26 record and are tied with the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves for the same number of wins.
