Fred VanVleet is not expected to re-sign with the Toronto Raptors this offseason, according to NBA insider Matt Moore.
VanVleet becomes an unrestricted free agent on June 30. The All-Star declined his 2023-24 player option with the Raptors.
“The one Raptor who’s likely to be gone, just as everyone expected at the deadline, is Fred VanVleet,” Moore wrote. “The 29-year-old former champion is part of the rotating musical chairs for point guards in this free agency class. The two teams most strongly attached to FVV are the Rockets and 76ers. It would not be incorrect to describe FVV as the James Harden consolation prize at this point. If Harden returns to Houston, the Sixers will look to construct a sign-and-trade for VanVleet. If the Sixers re-sign Harden, which Houston has projected they feel is likely in recent days, then the Rockets will look to a big-money, short-term contract for VanVleet.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Fred VanVleet & Toronto Raptors Updates
“A potential hangup has been the Rockets’ position against player options, sources said. VanVleet is a seamless fit in either spot,” Moore explained. “He works as a quality shooter who doesn’t need the ball next to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey and can run the offense, yet he can also be the kind of veteran stabilizing point guard Houston has badly needed to find some level of structure with their impulsive youngsters.”
VanVleet averaged 19.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists this past season while shooting 39.3% from the floor, 34.2% from beyond the arc and 89.8% from the free-throw line. The Raptors lost to the Chicago Bulls in the 9-10 play-in game and didn’t qualify for the 2023 postseason.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Fred VanVleet & Toronto Raptors Updates
VanVleet, who is an undrafted player out of Wichita State, has career averages of 14.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists. He is represented by Klutch Sports Group. The one-time champion is expected to command $30-plus million annually on his next deal, according to NBA executives who spoke with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
