Fred VanVleet to enter unrestricted free agency this summer
Michael Scotto: We’ve got the locker room leader, Fred VanVleet, coming up on a player option, which by all accounts, from anyone you talk to around the league, is expected to decline that player option and enter unrestricted free agency.
Source: Michael Scotto @ HoopsHype
Source: Michael Scotto @ HoopsHype
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Raptors guard Fred VanVleet may command $30-35 million annually as a free agent. More on trade talks involving VanVleet, OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr, and a look at the futures of Pascal Siakam and Nick Nurse with @BlakeMurphyODC on the @Jorge Sierra podcast. hoopshype.com/lists/raptors-… – 9:21 AM
Raptors guard Fred VanVleet may command $30-35 million annually as a free agent. More on trade talks involving VanVleet, OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr, and a look at the futures of Pascal Siakam and Nick Nurse with @BlakeMurphyODC on the @Jorge Sierra podcast. hoopshype.com/lists/raptors-… – 9:21 AM
Eric Smith @Eric__Smith
Raps down 101-100…FVV whistled for an offensive foul (sure looked like a soft call / flop by Johnson to me). Phx scores to go up 3. FVV responds to cut it to 1 again. Suns miss, but get an offensive rebound…kick it out to CP3 for a 3pt & that was that. Suns never looked back. – 11:29 PM
Raps down 101-100…FVV whistled for an offensive foul (sure looked like a soft call / flop by Johnson to me). Phx scores to go up 3. FVV responds to cut it to 1 again. Suns miss, but get an offensive rebound…kick it out to CP3 for a 3pt & that was that. Suns never looked back. – 11:29 PM
Eric Smith @Eric__Smith
Raps down 101-100…FVV whistles for an offensive foul (sure looked like a soft call / flop by Johnson to me). Phx scores to go up 3. FVV responds to cut it to 1 again. Suns miss, but get an offensive rebound…kick it out to CP3 for a 3pt & that was that. Suns never looked back. – 11:27 PM
Raps down 101-100…FVV whistles for an offensive foul (sure looked like a soft call / flop by Johnson to me). Phx scores to go up 3. FVV responds to cut it to 1 again. Suns miss, but get an offensive rebound…kick it out to CP3 for a 3pt & that was that. Suns never looked back. – 11:27 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
‘Topes lose. 114-106. They played hard, but the first-half turnovers did them in. 29 for Bridges, 22 and 13 for Ayton. 24 and 9 for VanVleet, 16-7-5 for Barnes in a monster defensive performance by him. – 11:18 PM
‘Topes lose. 114-106. They played hard, but the first-half turnovers did them in. 29 for Bridges, 22 and 13 for Ayton. 24 and 9 for VanVleet, 16-7-5 for Barnes in a monster defensive performance by him. – 11:18 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Final: PHX 114, TOR 106
Bridges: 29 Pts, 6 Ast, 3 Stl, 12-19 FG
Ayton: 22 Pts, 13 Reb, 9-17 FG
Paul: 19 Pts, 9 Ast, 5-11 FG
VanVleet: 24 Pts, 9 Ast, 9-19 FG
Suns win bench points 38-15 – 11:18 PM
Final: PHX 114, TOR 106
Bridges: 29 Pts, 6 Ast, 3 Stl, 12-19 FG
Ayton: 22 Pts, 13 Reb, 9-17 FG
Paul: 19 Pts, 9 Ast, 5-11 FG
VanVleet: 24 Pts, 9 Ast, 9-19 FG
Suns win bench points 38-15 – 11:18 PM
Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
Raps have had some success with Siakam/VanVleet-less lineups of late but this one felt like they were tempting fate. Sure enough, that Barnes + 4 reserve unit was outscored 10-5 (by 5 Suns reserves) in nearly 4 mins. Would imagine we’ll see the starters coming out of the timeout – 10:53 PM
Raps have had some success with Siakam/VanVleet-less lineups of late but this one felt like they were tempting fate. Sure enough, that Barnes + 4 reserve unit was outscored 10-5 (by 5 Suns reserves) in nearly 4 mins. Would imagine we’ll see the starters coming out of the timeout – 10:53 PM
Michael Grange @michaelgrange
Raptors lead Suns 84-82. Put a lid on Bridges who follows up his 23-point first half with two in the third. VanVleet leads five Raptors starters in double figures with 20. – 10:46 PM
Raptors lead Suns 84-82. Put a lid on Bridges who follows up his 23-point first half with two in the third. VanVleet leads five Raptors starters in double figures with 20. – 10:46 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
End of 3Q: TOR 84, PHX 82
Bridges: 25 Pts, 4 Ast, 3 Stl, 10-16 FG
Ayton: 18 Pts, 11 Reb, 7-15 FG
Paul: 12 Pts, 9 Ast, 4-9 FG
VanVleet: 20 Pts, 6 Ast, 7-15 FG – 10:43 PM
End of 3Q: TOR 84, PHX 82
Bridges: 25 Pts, 4 Ast, 3 Stl, 10-16 FG
Ayton: 18 Pts, 11 Reb, 7-15 FG
Paul: 12 Pts, 9 Ast, 4-9 FG
VanVleet: 20 Pts, 6 Ast, 7-15 FG – 10:43 PM
Michael Grange @michaelgrange
The Raptors had 53 points at half and now have 63. The Suns still have 62, so that’s a 10-0 run. That’s all the fingers I got. VanVleet pushing pace, either scoring in transition or getting to the paint & pitching like for Gary Trent Jr. Raps lead 63-62. – 10:24 PM
The Raptors had 53 points at half and now have 63. The Suns still have 62, so that’s a 10-0 run. That’s all the fingers I got. VanVleet pushing pace, either scoring in transition or getting to the paint & pitching like for Gary Trent Jr. Raps lead 63-62. – 10:24 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Scottie Barnes is gassed, just came out. VanVleet 3-point play.
#Suns up 55-46 with 3:21 left in half. Paul back in. – 9:56 PM
Scottie Barnes is gassed, just came out. VanVleet 3-point play.
#Suns up 55-46 with 3:21 left in half. Paul back in. – 9:56 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Okogie muscles up two.
Bridges off glass running jumper good, fouled by VanVleet.
FT. #Suns up seven. Bridges 19 on 7-of-9. – 9:47 PM
Okogie muscles up two.
Bridges off glass running jumper good, fouled by VanVleet.
FT. #Suns up seven. Bridges 19 on 7-of-9. – 9:47 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Siakam stays out there after playing the entire first quarter. (VanVleet and Trent also played entire quarter.) – 9:37 PM
Siakam stays out there after playing the entire first quarter. (VanVleet and Trent also played entire quarter.) – 9:37 PM
Doug Smith @SmithRaps
Chris Paul hits a 30-foot buzzer beater, Suns up 31-28 after 1
Bridges had 16, Trent 8/VanVleet 7 for Toronto – 9:35 PM
Chris Paul hits a 30-foot buzzer beater, Suns up 31-28 after 1
Bridges had 16, Trent 8/VanVleet 7 for Toronto – 9:35 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Suns up 31-28 after a quarter. Trent and VanVleet have 15 combined for Raps, while Bridges has 16. – 9:35 PM
Suns up 31-28 after a quarter. Trent and VanVleet have 15 combined for Raps, while Bridges has 16. – 9:35 PM
Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
Barnes has gotten the Paul assignment out of the gate, with VanVleet guarding Bridges. Might need to make an adjustment there. Bridges has 10 of Phoenix’s first 14 points. – 9:23 PM
Barnes has gotten the Paul assignment out of the gate, with VanVleet guarding Bridges. Might need to make an adjustment there. Bridges has 10 of Phoenix’s first 14 points. – 9:23 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Wainright in for Cam Johnson. #Suns up three as #Raptors get 3 out of timeout from VanVleet. – 9:22 PM
Wainright in for Cam Johnson. #Suns up three as #Raptors get 3 out of timeout from VanVleet. – 9:22 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
VanVleet up against Steph, Lillard and CP — three top-75ers — in four nights. That’s some kind of run. – 9:09 PM
VanVleet up against Steph, Lillard and CP — three top-75ers — in four nights. That’s some kind of run. – 9:09 PM
Doug Smith @SmithRaps
The pride of Rexdale, Dalano Banton, is back and available for the Raptors tonight; they’ll start VanVleet, Trent, Barnes, Siakam, Achiuwa – 8:43 PM
The pride of Rexdale, Dalano Banton, is back and available for the Raptors tonight; they’ll start VanVleet, Trent, Barnes, Siakam, Achiuwa – 8:43 PM
More on this storyline
Michael Scotto: Regarding VanVleet’s extension talks before the season, I was told that the four-year, $114 million extension offer was never going to be high enough since VanVleet, who’s one of the top free agents entering the market this summer, considered himself somewhere in the $30-35 million average annual range, which is similar to Jrue Holiday’s average annual salary (this season), for example. There seemed to certainly be an understanding with Toronto and Fred at the time that it was just a logistical thing. The possibility of him being in Toronto long-term was certainly in play. -via HoopsHype / January 31, 2023
Teams like the Los Angeles Clippers would like to improve at that position, with John Wall apparently available. The Orlando Magic have eyes on a quality veteran like VanVleet, per sources. The Dallas Mavericks are still looking for a Jalen Brunson replacement. The Washington Wizards don’t have a true answer at the point. -via Bleacher Report / January 31, 2023
Kawhi Leonard has made it clear to the Clippers front office that he would welcome a point guard addition, and it’s no surprise that two of his former teammates on his championship Raptors team, Lowry and VanVleet, are on their short list of targets. -via Action Network / January 30, 2023