The player that Houston could unexpectedly recover to win the championship

The immediate future of Fred VanVleet remains uncertain, but the player himself does not rule out a possible return before the season ends. The Houston Rockets point guard recently explained that he keeps open the option to come back to play while continuing his recovery from his anterior cruciate ligament tear.

During an appearance on the Unguarded podcast, VanVleet discussed his rehabilitation process and made it clear that, while his priority is still to recover properly, he does not want to close the door on a return this same season.

Fred VanVleet detailed that his recovery is progressing better than expected after the surgery.

"I'm about five, five and a half, almost six months in," he explained. "I'm progressing, getting stronger, and moving much better. I'm having good workouts on the court."

The guard also pointed out that many of the recovery predictions were made before the surgery, so the timeline has been adjusting as the weeks go by.

"Selfishly, I will always keep the door open," he added. "I'm not going to say I won't return and then suddenly show up. Nor am I saying I will definitely come back. I'm simply working on my rehab and keeping that goal in mind."

An Injury Suffered Before the Season Began

VanVleet suffered a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in late September during a training session, just before the start of Houston's preseason camp.

At that time, it was assumed that the veteran guard would miss the entire season, but as his recovery progresses, neither the player nor the franchise have completely ruled out the possibility of his return before the end of the season.

A Potential Boost for a Team in the Midst of the Fight

VanVleet's potential return could have a significant impact for Houston. The Rockets hold a record of 41-25, placing them in the fourth position in the Western Conference.

With the team competing near the top of the standings, the presence of the veteran guard could become a key addition to try to approach the top teams in the league during the decisive stretch of the season.