The Houston Rockets have reached an agreement to sign point guard Fred VanVleet, team sources confirmed to The Athletic on Friday. Here’s what you need to know:
- The deal is a three-year, $130 million max contract, according to ESPN. Later Friday, the Raptors and guard Dennis Schröder agreed to a two-year, $26 million deal, according to ESPN.
- VanVleet declined his player option with the Toronto Raptors on June 12.
- The 29-year-old averaged 19.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and a career-high 7.2 assists to go along with 1.8 steals over 69 games last season.
- VanVleet had spent his entire career in Toronto after the team signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Wichita State in 2016. He won an NBA title with the Raptors in 2019.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
What VanVleet brings to Houston
Adding Fred VanVleet, an established, accomplished player at the biggest position of need is a monumental shift in Houston’s rebuilding timeline. As soon as it was realized internally that a future without James Harden was the likely route, the front office quickly shifted its attention towards VanVleet, a hard-nosed natural playmaker, and were prepared to aggressively chase him.
In conversations between coach Ime Udoka and general manager Rafael Stone, a need for winners was stressed, and more importantly, leadership in the locker room. VanVleet arrives with experience, tenacity and poise — key factors to aid in the development of young players such as Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. VanVleet instantly raises the floor and ceiling of this group. — Iko
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What did VanVleet mean to the Raptors?
It is maybe overstated that VanVleet was Kyle Lowry’s heir apparent, but he was evidence of the Raptors’ excellent developmental system. He went from undrafted to winning the 15th roster spot to beating out a veteran for a backup spot to key piece on a championship team to starter to All-Star.
Credit to VanVleet, who put in that work, but the Raptors helped him along the way. Now, the player who hit some of the biggest shots in the championship-clinching game of the 2019 NBA Finals is gone. — Koreen
What the Raptors are getting in Schröder?
This is not a perfect fit. Schröder shot just 32.4 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s last year, and the Raptors are a team who put the ball in the hands of their play-making forwards, Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes, plenty. He gives the Raptors some necessary explosiveness off the dribble, but the geometry in the half-court offense is going to be complicated. With VanVleet, a vastly superior shooter, it already was.
The move means the Raptors’ spending power is very limited the rest of the way. One wonders if they might dangle Thaddeus Young, who has still not been officially waived, or Chris Boucher and some draft equity to Washington for either Monte Morris or Delon Wright, both of whom are on expiring contracts. — Koreen
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Backstory
VanVleet, named an All-Star in the 2021-22 season, holds career averages of 14.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists. He has averaged 36.8 minutes over the last four seasons.
The Athletic’s John Hollinger recently ranked VanVleet as the No. 3 free agent available this offseason based on the BORD$ method for projecting contract value.
Required reading
(Photo: Winslow Townson / USA Today)
