VanVleet not going anywhere
Guard opts to stick with Toronto team for four years, $85M
The decision to retain Fred VanVleet was a no-brainer for the Toronto Raptors.
VanVleet, the prize point guard on the free-agent market, is about to enter the prime of his career. The 26-year-old has improved steadily since he arrived in Toronto four years ago and can be a cornerstone piece after agreeing to a four-year, $85-million (U.S.) contract Saturday.
He is now part and parcel of a core group that includes Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Norm Powell, and at least one more year of Kyle Lowry. There is still a frontcourt to be rounded out, perhaps around a returning Serge Ibaka.
That is a solid group by any standards and, with money to spend and roster spots to fill, team president Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster can go shopping with a very good core and a history of sustained success to bolster their sales pitch.
VanVleet’s new deal, agreed to on the first full day of NBA free agency, is more than just the most logical basketball move the Raptors could have made. It’s inspirational, educational and proves Raptors management stays true to its words.
The inspiration comes from VanVleet himself. He’s too small, not quick enough, his basketball pedigree is hardly that of Best In Show but he managed to grind out a life-changing contract on the basis of hard work, self-belief and determination. His new deal is the greatest value contract of any undrafted player in NBA history.
The educational aspect? Finding an organization that believes in you as much as you believe in yourself is vital. And there need not be a rush to judgment; it’s smart to let things develop.
As much as the new contract says about VanVleet, it also speaks volumes about the Raptors. They identified him as their top off-season priority and went and got him. They showed him the respect he felt he deserved in the terms of money and years, and they were unwavering in their assessment that they could keep a core piece for years. It took just one meeting and fewer than 18 hours from the start of free agency period to agree to a deal.
Their reputations as straight shooters, executives who keep their word, identify talent and do what it takes to retain it will only grow around the NBA.
That will come in handy because the work is not nearly done.
After securing VanVleet’s commitment, Ujiri and Webster headed off to meet with Ibaka, the forward/centre who is second on their off-season wish list. Those negotiations were not likely to be as easy.
The Raptors were able to maintain significant financial flexibility for 2021 and beyond with the structure of VanVleet’s contract, but giving Ibaka a deal that’s longer than one year, or maybe two, could cut into that space significantly. At 31, Ibaka may want to get a longer deal.
Ibaka was also paid more than $21 million last season and it’s highly unlikely he’ll earn that annual salary from the Raptors on anything longer than a oneyear deal.
Still, the Raptors signalled with the VanVleet signing that they are serious about maintaining the core of the team over the next few years. They see the six-foot point guard as a prime example of the team’s culture and as a testament to its ability to develop players.
VanVleet was undrafted coming out of college at Wichita State and thrived under the tutelage of then head coach Dwane Casey. He spent time in his rookie season with the G League Raptors 905 before becoming a regular with the NBA team. And he was a backup for a couple of seasons — notably in 2019, when the Raptors won the championship. And VanVleet received a vote as the NBA Finals’ most valuable player — before becoming a starter under coach Nick Nurse last season.
VanVleet and Lowry, both relatively undersized, made up one of the most potent backcourts in the NBA, known for grit and defensive toughness and the willingness to take all the big shots when they were needed.
VanVleet started all 54 games last season as the Raptors posted the best regular-season record by percentage in franchise history. He averaged a career high 17.6 points per game and shot 39 per cent from threepoint range.