Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Report: Magic Expected to Throw 'A Lot of Money' at Fred VanVleet in Free Agency
The Orlando Magic are lurking in the Fred VanVleet sweepstakes ahead of what could be a lucrative summer for the Toronto Raptors point guard.
Regardless of what happens ahead of the Feb. 9 NBA trade deadline, there are reportedly murmurs that Orlando is willing to throw "a lot of money" at VanVleet who will head into unrestricted free agency this summer, ESPN's Tim MacMahon said on the Hoops Collective Podcast.
"The VanVleet thing, I think you're going to have to play pretty close to max if this Orlando smoke is real," MacMahon said.
It's unclear exactly what VanVleet's market will be following an up-and-down season from the 28-year-old. After a rocky start to the season, he's turned things around lately, bouncing back to his 2022 form while averaging 21.8 points and 6.7 assists over his last 26 games.
There's reportedly a belief that he could command upward of $30 million per season, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. That number would be in line with the four-year, $120 million extension Tyler Herro signed with the Miami Heat over the summer.
Orlando has the ability to create enough cap space to sign VanVleet outright in the summer, creating a complicating factor for any team looking to acquire the former NBA champion ahead of the trade deadline.
The Los Angeles Clipper and Phoenix Suns have both been mentioned as potential landing spots for VanVleet should he be dealt in the next week.
Further Reading
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Raptors haunted by front office mistake in loss to Jazz
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