Free agent point guard Fred VanVleet appears “very likely” to re-sign with the Raptors, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said in an appearance on The Jump this afternoon (video link via Knicks Film School).
Wojnarowski suggests that the lack of teams with cap room around the NBA may limit VanVleet’s ability to attract big offers that could put extra pressure on the Raptors. An earlier report indicated Toronto may be hoping to get VanVleet back on a deal similar to the one Malcolm Brogdon signed with Indiana last year — $85MM over four years.
The Raptors’ ability to go much higher for VanVleet is complicated by the fact that the team wants to maintain enough 2021 cap room to contend for a maximum-salary player (ideally Giannis Antetokounmpo, if he’s available). The bigger VanVleet’s deal is, the less space the team will have a year from now, but something in the range of $20-22MM per year should fit into the team’s budget.
While the Raptors are the frontrunners for VanVleet, that doesn’t necessarily mean the two sides will come to terms immediately when free agency opens in an hour. Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) has heard that the Raptors and other suitors for VanVleet will likely meet with the 26-year-old in the Chicago area on Saturday. The Knicks and Pistons have been cited as a couple of the other possible contenders for the Raptors guard.
VanVleet ranks third on our list of 2020’s top 50 free agents.
It would be ridiculous to give VanVleet more than 20k a year regardless.
20k? Lmao what?
Wow … Van Vleet’s stock has fallen some huh … $20 K a year is too much?
Well how much would you pay him, huh?
I think he’s at least good enough to earn 20k for each quarter of every game he plays.
Probably more.
This year will be the opposite of 2016 when so many players got overpaid.
Once the few teams with cap space are done all that’s left is all those MLE contracts.
Almost as good as rockets giving up Capela and 1st round pick to get Covington then to trade him for a first round pick
You mean trade him for two first round picks, not just one.
They get Portland’s next year plus a future first from Detroit.
Likely the Brogdan salary…