After playing the best basketball of his life during the 2021-22 season, Raptors guard Fed VanVleet chose to bet on himself.
Apparently, the 1x All-Star was offered a $115 million extension by the Raptors ahead of the season, which he turned down to, presumably, chase more money in the following summer.
What he didn’t foresee was that he’d be shooting 37% from the field through 31 games this season. Now, that $115 contract is looking a lot more generous.
(via TSN)
Prior to the start of the season, VanVleet turned down a contract extension valued at roughly $114 million, the maximum Toronto could offer at the time, according to a source. He’s eligible to sign an extension up to that value until the end of the campaign, but considering he can make more in free agency and he literally wears the mantra “Bet on Yourself” across his chest, it’s not a surprise that he would prefer to let his current deal expire before negotiating a new one.
In terms of what VanVleet will be looking for on the open market, the four-year, $130 million deal that Tyler Herro got last fall is expected to be the baseline. Officially, the Raptors don’t have to decide whether they’re going to be the team that gives it to him until July. Essentially, though, they’ve got to make that decision over the next five weeks, ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline, or they risk losing him for nothing.
REPORT: Fred VanVleet had turned down a $114M extension from the Raptors before the season started. He has until the end of the season to sign the extension or he will have to test free-agency.
(via @JLew1050, https://t.co/kLgrRHAafW) pic.twitter.com/VRbgo7VbUD
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 7, 2023
There’s still time for VanVleet to turn things around, but the problems with the Raptors as a team go much deeper than his struggles. The same strategy that made them so potent last year seems to be their biggest hurdle this season, and it remains to be seen how team President Masai Ujiri will respond.
Toronto Raptors Are A Big Player In The NBA Trade Market This Year
As one of the few potential sellers heading into the trade deadline, every GM in the league is monitoring the situation in Toronto. If they’d decide to blow it up or trade any one of their core players, it could lead to a massive bidding war.
“Or maybe they go all in and consider trading Siakam and Anunoby for what would likely be massive returns of picks and young talent. ‘A s—load’ was the ballpark estimate provided by one league insider. The rest of the league is waiting anxiously.”
Under the right circumstances, guys like VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., and even Pascal Siakam could shift the balance of power in the NBA.
For now, though, they are Raptors who must fight to keep their season alive.
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