Assuming health, Fred VanVleet will return to his previous role as starting point guard for the Houston Rockets.
The news had been long suspected, but head coach Ime Udoka confirmed it as training camp opened this week.
Via Brian Barefield of Rockets Wire, Udoka said this when asked if VanVleet would start:
Yeah, I would say so. Barring how he feels and all that, and being cautious. We’ll have different guys on different nights, if he doesn’t play back-to-backs. But going into it, that was the expectation, as long as he was healthy.
VanVleet, 32, is returning after missing the 2025-26 season due to an ACL tear in his right knee.
In two previous seasons (2023-24 and 2024-25) as Houston’s starter, VanVleet averaged 15.9 points (36.9% on 3-pointers),
6.9 assists, and only 1.6 turnovers per game, and he grades out very favorably in advanced metrics. VanVleet has also drawn consistent praise from Udoka and his teammates for the importance of his leadership and communication skills, both on offense and defense.
“Going into it that was the expectation as long as he was healthy,” said Houston Rockets HC Ime Udoka about point guard Fred VanVleet returning to his starting role. Udoka also expounds on who his backup will be. #Rockets #Sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/BhPIz9CVKV
— BIG SARGE MEDIA LLC (@BigSargeSportz) September 25, 2026
In VanVleet’s absence last season, Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard took on the majority of point-guard duties. Udoka noted that Thompson and Sheppard will still get on-ball opportunities in 2026-27, since both VanVleet and Marcus Smart are capable of succeeding in off-ball roles.
But VanVleet has far more experience when it comes to initiating NBA offenses and limiting turnovers, so he’ll get the bulk of point-guard responsibilities on a Houston squad that — led by the All-Star duo of Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun — wants to immediately contend in the Western Conference.
Thompson will retain a starting position and simply slide to a wing role, as he did when VanVleet was last healthy in the 2025 playoffs. Sheppard will likely be a sharpshooting sixth man off the bench, and that’s a role he held for mujch of the 2025-26 season, anyway.
With that in mind, the transition should be fairly smooth, as Thompson and Sheppard are moving into roles that they’re already familiar with.
Should VanVleet have a setback, or if he’s on a minutes or back-to-back restriction early in the season, Udoka definitely left some wiggle room for changes. But assuming relative health, all indications are that VanVleet will be Houston’s primary floor general and start alongside Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Durant, and Sengun.
Ime Udoka talking about the difference Fred makes to the effectiveness of the double big zone
— Steven Adams Stats (@funakistats) September 25, 2026
In the 2025 series vs GSW, the rockets…
Adams + Şengün + VanVleet on court:
HOU 150–126 GSW
+24 +/- in 69 minutes
+16.4 net rating
All other Rockets lineups:
HOU 576-602 GSW
-24… pic.twitter.com/YXr4mRMzoL
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Ime Udoka: Rockets’ plan is for Fred VanVleet to start at point guard
