Van Vleet, Hayward agree to big contracts
Fred Van Vleet paid off.
Gordon Hayward, meanwhile, is heading to a new home.
Van Vleet agreed Saturday to a fouryear, $85 million contract to remain with the Toronto Raptors, a person with direct knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract remains unsigned. The fourth year of the contract is at Van Vleet's option.
The Charlotte Hornets have wanted Hayward for years. On Saturday, they finally landed him, according to Priority Sports, the agency that represents the veteran forward. A person with knowledge of the terms told the AP that Hayward will sign a four-year contract worth $120 million, speaking on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn't been signed. ESPN first reported the agreement between Hayward and the Hornets.
Van Vleet, the undrafted guard from Wichita State, has played a huge role in the Raptors' recent successes, most importantly their run to the 2019 NBA championship. He has set career bests in scoring by wide margins in each of the last three seasons, that number rising to 17.6 points per game this past season.
Keeping Van Vleet was of major importance to the Raptors, who have won at least 50 games in each of the last five seasons – by far the longest current streak in the NBA. Milwaukee has a two-year such streak, and the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers reached the 50-win mark last season.
It also fulfilled a Van Vleet prophecy: He famously went undrafted four
bet on himself. It years ago, then passed on some lowmoney deals that he figured wouldn't pan into much.
“I turned those down. I bet on myself,” Van Vleet told friends and family on what would have been his draft night, a festive occasion that turned disappointing when the call from the NBA never came.
The Raptors brought him in on a summer-league deal, then a minimum deal, then gave him a two-year contract for $18 million two years later – and now gave him the full reward.
Crowder to Suns: Forward Jae Crowder, a big part of Miami's run last season to the NBA Finals, agreed on a three-year contract that will be worth nearly $30 million to join the Phoenix Suns, according to a person familiar with those negotiations.
The former Marquette star became a starter last season for the Heat and averaged 12.0 points in Miami's playoff run. He becomes another key veteran addition to the Suns, who swung a trade earlier this month for all-star point guard Chris Paul.