Fred VanVleet to Make Houston Rockets Debut vs. Orlando Magic

After signing with the Houston Rockets as a free agent, filling in the void as the primary veteran leader will be Fred VanVleet's most significant role during the 2023-24 season.

Fred VanVleet said he felt "weird" the very first time he played as a member of the Houston Rockets. It came during the Rockets' preseason opener against the Indiana Pacers, where VanVleet recorded 10 points and four assists in 25 minutes. The Rockets posted a 122-103 home victory.

"It was different, but I am excited," VanVleet said. "It's all about getting more comfortable while learning my new teammates, a new city and a new arena. This whole experience has been a blur. It seems like everything happen so fast. But I am excited to be a Rocket."

VanVleet and the Rockets agreed upon a three-year deal worth $130 million in July. The signing ended his seven-year tenure with the Toronto Raptors. And Wednesday night, VanVleet will make his official debut against the Orlando Magic inside the Amway Center.

The offseason acquisition of VanVleet will give the Rockets an established player to take the helm as the team's starting point guard. But his arrival came with a hefty job of leading Houston's young roster as a veteran leader.

"I think, as a team, it's like VanVleet is still VanVleet, whether he's in Toronto or Houston," Magic's Joe Ingles said. "So, knowing those players knowing the scale, individually and then obviously as a team, we figure out what we do with with the coaches on how they've been playing in preseason."

Rockets guard Fred VanVleet warms up before the game against the Indiana Pacers at Toyota Center / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Before playing a minute during the 2023-24 season, the Rockets have already begun reaping the benefits of signing VanVleet.

Shortly after signing with the Rockets, VanVleet wasted no time getting acquainted with his new teammates, headlined by Jalen Green. Three months later, VanVleet gifted each one of his teammates the book, "Chop Wood Carry Water: How to Fall in Love with the Process of Becoming Great,” before the team left for training camp in Lake Charles.

His goal was to illustrate that becoming great takes time, and everyone must enjoy the process.

After joining the Rockets, filling in the void as the primary veteran leader will be VanVleet's most significant role during the 2023-24 season.

"That's who he is," Udoka said. "He does it in a lot of different ways; vocally and through his play," Udoka said. "I knew that about him when we tried to get him to come here. And for the young guys to go out on the court with him and to see it, it's invaluable for us."

VanVleet began his career with the Raptors in 2016 after going undrafted. He became an All-Star in 2022. But his most significant role came in 2019 when he helped the Raptors win their first and only NBA championship.

The 6-foot-0 guard has averaged 14.6 points on 40.2 percent shooting from the field, 5.3 assists and 1.3 steals across 417 career games.

He helped Toronto sweep the Rockets during their two-game regular season series in 2022-23. He averaged 32.0 points on .458/.444/.889 shooting splits.