Van Jordan fell, the Rockets sank? A new era is coming!

Before the 2026 NBA season was officially opened, the Houston Rockets suffered a heavy blow:

team's main controller Van Vleet was reimbursed due to injury.

For a young team that just received Durant and was determined to score a playoff result, such bad news undoubtedly made Rockets fans feel cold. After all, VanVleet is one of the few core point guards in the league. Since joining the Rockets, his big heart and calm control at critical moments have always been the Rockets' stabilizing needle.

And the problem also arises. Will Van Vleet's season reimbursement really make the Rockets lose their competitiveness? Did Durant lose the best chance to win the championship after leaving the Warriors?

In view of the team, Van Vleet's role is undoubtedly, not only can he share the organizational pressure when Shin Kyung is double-teamed, but he can also make key choices at the last moment of the game. But judging from personal data, his form had already declined significantly last season, with a shooting percentage of 37.8% and a three-point shooting percentage of 34.5%, both hitting career lows.

The Rockets can still score 50% of 11 wins and 11 losses in his absence, which is enough to show that the team's system has gradually begun to no longer rely entirely on this veteran.

The team chose to renew his contract with him, and it was more important to value his calmness and game experience. In the seven playoff games against the Warriors last season, VanVleet's three-pointers and organizational ability in the decisive moment did inject stabilizers into the young Rockets. But as the young people in the team grow, his role is slowly shifting to the spiritual level and locker room influence.

From a long-term perspective, the Rockets' future is not just Van Vleet, but Shin Kyung, who just shined in the European Cup.

The Turkish striker's passing vision and offensive footsteps are hard not to remind people of Jokic. Only when he executes hand-handed at the high position and attracts double-teams at the low position can the Rockets' offense be truly revitalized. Although he is still far from Jokic, his potential is enough to reflect.

Especially from his performance in the European Cup, his progress has become obvious and his organization is more mature. Now that Van Vleet is reimbursed for the season, he has pushed the Rockets in advance to hand over the team's offensive focus to Shin Jing, so that he can truly become the core of the team's hub.

Although Van Vleet's fall caused the team's back strength to be greatly reduced, this does not mean that the Rockets' backcourt is completely vacuumed. Behind VanVleet, there are still many young defenders waiting for opportunities.

Amen Thompson averaged 3.8 assists per game last season and has shown certain ability to read with the ball. Although he is not mature yet, his defensive coverage and fast attack impact are enough to provide energy for the Rockets; as the 2024 Tanhua Show, Shepard, although last season was immature, his shooting potential was exactly what the Rockets needed right now. He is likely to usher in an unexpected playing time in the new season and have the opportunity to grow into a Rockets' backcourt puzzle; in the end, Aaron Holiday, although this veteran is not the one who decides the game, as a senior senior, his stability is also a link that ensures that the rotation will not collapse completely.

The key link, the Rockets ushered in an opportunity to strengthen Durant this summer.

38-year-old Durant may no longer be the league's most terrifying killer, but it is still a top scoring weapon. Last season, the 43% three-point shooting percentage was enough to make up for the Rockets' outside shortcomings. When the game entered the last moment, the opponent would never be willing to face the dual-core combination of Durant + Shin Kyung. With an organization + offensive combination like

, it is hard not to remind people of the Jokic + Murray dual-core mode of the Nuggets in 2023. Isn’t it the Rockets’ blueprint for winning the championship now!

In addition to the core dual core, the Rockets' rotation depth also has advantages. Finney Smith, who was introduced in the offseason, and young defensive players such as Tari Ethan, the team's defensive strength continues to be online. The physical vitality of young players will also become their most powerful guarantee in high-intensity confrontation.

In short, the key to the Rockets' championship is never VanVleet, but more of the growth of young players, especially Shin Kyung, who is inside. If he can steadily increase his personal data to 20+10+7 per game in the new season, then the Rockets can fully enter a new era of championship competition.

No surprise, Durant can still take over the game at a critical moment, and the wing defense can tenaciously bite the opponent. The young backcourt is growing. Compared with other teams in the Western Conference, the Rockets still have the confidence to wrestle with them.

As for VanVleet's season reimbursement, it is indeed regrettable. But for the Rockets, this is not completely desperate. Now is the best time for young players to stand up and shoulder their responsibilities. This may be the moment that truly belongs to the Rockets.