The Rockets will likely decline their team option on Fred VanVleet for the 2025/26 season in the coming days, but still intend to work toward a new multiyear contract with their starting point guard, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Veteran reporter Marc Stein (Twitter links) also hears that there’s a “strong expectation” the Rockets and VanVleet will agree to terms on a new deal soon, though he cautions that one source said Houston is still weighing its options and hasn’t ruled out simply exercising that option.
Whichever direction the Rockets go, VanVleet is considered a good bet to remain with the team, Stein adds (Twitter link).
[RELATED: VanVleet, Rockets Have Mutual Interest In Continuing Relationship]
Declining VanVleet’s option in order to sign him to a longer-term deal makes sense for the Rockets, since picking it up would lock in his $44,886,930 salary for 2025/26. That’s a big number for a Houston team that has agreed to acquire Kevin Durant and would likely have to operate in tax-apron territory if it brings back VanVleet on a maximum-salary cap hit.
Turning down the option and lowering the 31-year-old’s cap hit for ’25/26 would position the Rockets to remain below the aprons and potentially even to avoid the luxury tax, depending on how much of a pay cut VanVleet is willing to take. Tacking on multiple years could entice VanVleet to take a sizable haircut in year one, since a deal in the neighborhood of, say, $30MM annually over three seasons would still assure of him significantly more total guaranteed money than his option would pay him.
There had been speculation that Houston might exercise its option on VanVleet in order to include him as a salary-matching piece in a trade for Durant. However, using one of their other big contracts (like Jalen Green‘s) as a centerpiece for Durant always made more sense for the Rockets, who would have created a major hole at point guard by sending out VanVleet in the move.
A career 37.5% three-point shooter entering 2024/25, VanVleet had a down year from beyond the arc (34.5%), but led the Rockets with 5.6 assists per game, ranked third on the team with 14.1 points per contest, and served as a veteran leader and organizer for a young squad that won 52 games and claimed the No. 2 seed in a tough Western Conference.
The Rockets’ decision on VanVleet’s team option was originally due five days after the team’s season ended, but the two sides agreed last month to push it back to June 29.
Greatest agent/agency of all-time. A career 40% shooter, small stature, fairly one dimensional player has made an absolute killing in the league.
Guys that have averaged over the last 7 years 17-20 ppg, 4 reb per game, 6-7 assists per game, 1.5 or more steals and make 3 threes per game get paid pretty well in this league even if they are small.
Fair points. But point me to a 40/37 shooter coming off a 12.8 PER making his type of money?
Has one ring. Got paid for it.
Getting paid for veteran leadership / culture change he’s brought to an abysmal situation when he arrived
How’d that go? Tons of Rockets playoff success?
Just because you’re a veteran doesn’t make you a leader lol.
Especially considering his draft day
Rockets knows the ball is in their court. Nobody will come close to offering him $44 million a year. they probably offered him up in trades and everyone said no way. i am guessing a 3/$90 deal is what he could best hope for in a new deal.
Rockets current payroll $155 million after dumping Landale
VanVleet $30 million starting
Total $185 million
Tax Line $188 million
2026
Need to pay Smith and Eason market value
2027
Pay Thompson
can’t dump landale but they can trade him for a deal around the same amount
I think Landale’s contract is non guaranteed. If it is, they should be able to release him.
its guaranteed next year 2026/27 is the option year.
It’s also non-guaranteed in ’25/26 if he’s waived on or before June 29.
wow his agent did a horrible job to sign a 4 years deal where only 2 are legit. rockets will release him to save money.
Actually only the first year of four was guaranteed — I was a little surprised they guaranteed his ’24/25 salary last year, but they were well below the tax at that point and he could’ve been a useful salary-matching piece in a trade.
“Sizable haircut 😂
I like VanVleet and I understood why they paid him that much for the first two years.
I am certainly glad they signed him instead of Harden. But now that it is time to build a championship contender, I would not want to pay him more than 22 million per year.
I would rather they signed Dennis Schroeder 3yrs 45 million than Van Vleet 3 yrs 90 million.
IIRC, FVV was overpaid to lure him and other FAs to play for the hapless Rockets, but Rockets aren’t in that position anymore.
3 years/ $90 million is nasty work, especially coming off one of his worst shooting years. The Rockets hold the cards tho. 3 years/ $75 would be the best I could do, but what do I know. Someone did mention Schroeder for 3yrs/ 45 million. That would be a steal!
JVV came up big in playoffs. Thats why they will keep him. Three years seems right. He knows he will contend all three yrs. Rockets definitely looking to be in both Finals next year.
JVV, Amen, KD, Smith, Sengun …..
KD and Sengun can be all stars.
I see Smith leveling up next yr. Big year.
If Jabari Smith can stay healthy all year. Injuries has hindered him so far and he was a large reason to their 52 wins. Between him and Dillion Brooks, they really played tough defense against guys like Curry, James, and so on. If it wasn’t for Smith injury right before the playoffs, I think Smith and Rockets would have gone deeper in the postseason. Not sure if they would have knocked off OKC, but they would have made it games 6 or 7. Rockets were hurting defensively after Smith injury. Losing Brooks is going to sting and I hope KD can cover some of that defense we lost with Brooks. Brook and KD are both physical guys and if KF has enough in his tank, Rockets could benefit greatly of KD presence.