After going undrafted in 2016, Fred VanVleet signed with the Toronto Raptors. His time in Toronto brought him an NBA Championship and an All-Star appearance.
On Friday, VanVleet’s time in Toronto got him something else — a max contract with the Houston Rockets.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that VanVleet agreed to a three-year, $130 million deal with the Rockets on Friday. He added that VanVleet’s deal is “the first max contract of the summer.”
Free agent G Fred VanVleet has agreed on a three-year, $130 million contract with the Houston Rockets, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul and agent Erika Ruiz tell ESPN. Rockets land ex-Raptors All-Star in his prime at 29 years old. pic.twitter.com/B6WwPmLYq1
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2023
VanVleet lands the first max contract of the summer. https://t.co/dl71Zat5vt
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2023
VanVleet was a rotation player for the Raptors when they won the championship in 2019. The following year, he became a starter and his career really took off. Over the last four seasons, the now-former Raptors guard averaged 19.3 points, 6.7 assists, 1.8 steals and 4.1 rebounds a game for Toronto, while shooting 39.9% from the field, 36.7% on threes and 87.8% on free throws.
So, there’s no doubt that VanVleet is a good player capable of putting up solid numbers. But there’s a difference between a good player and a max player? And several people in the NBA world were less than convinced that VanVleet is worth a max deal that will pay him an average of more than $43 million a season.
Didn’t have Fred Van Vleet being more expensive than Kyrie Irving on my free agency bingo card… https://t.co/oNC5tQAbMR
— Callie Caplan (@CallieCaplan) July 1, 2023
This is what $40M normally gets you… Fred Van Vleet is not in this class of players https://t.co/HgL88NcIqp pic.twitter.com/y4ydBib8A9
— LegendOfWinning (@LegendOfWinning) July 1, 2023
Rich Paul could get a McDonalds worker $70 an hour to work the drive thru https://t.co/M6rymYpHVx
— JFar 🧞♂️ (@JFar2Nice) July 1, 2023
I know they had to spend the money but sheeeeshhhhhh.
Happy for FVV and his fam. Undrafted to $130M https://t.co/9flZJYnwta— KENNY BEECHAM (@KOT4Q) July 1, 2023
Yo. The Rockets are hammered drunk. https://t.co/2z3ZaAEc45
— Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) July 1, 2023
Shot 39% FG AND 34% 3PT and gets a MAX! What ya’ll think Jalen Brunson gonna get in 2 years? 🤯🤯🤯 #Knicks https://t.co/3Kn5aKPlLf
— JD SportsTalk (@JDSportsTalkNY) July 1, 2023
40 million a year for FVV, what are the Rockets cooking https://t.co/GoShKhPFqA
— ᴅ ʀ ᴇ ᴡ (@FeelLikeDrew) July 1, 2023
Rich Paul is the GOAT, this contract is filthy lmao https://t.co/fbUkIquNMA
— Sean Davis (@Sean_Davi) July 1, 2023
VanVleet will be joining a Rockets team that has been one of the worst in the NBA over the last three seasons. But because of that, he’ll be joining a team that includes 2021’s No. 2 overall pick, Jalen Green, 2022’s No. 3 overall pick, Jabari Smith Jr. and 2023’s No. 4 overall pick, Amen Thompson.
