Report: Fred VanVleet re-signs with Raptors
Fred VanVleet is coming back.
The Toronto Raptors have reportedly agreed to re-sign the 26-year-old guard to a four-year, $85M deal, according to Shams Charania. The deal will not become official until the NBA's free agency moratorium has been lifted at 12:01 p.m. ET on December 22.
Keeping VanVleet in Toronto was repeatedly called a "priority" by Raptors executives Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster. Having him under contract heading into the 2020-21 season was crucial for the Raptors who are trying to remain contenders while keeping an eye on a massive 2021 free agency class.
Since signing with the Raptors as an undrafted free agent shortly after the 2016 NBA Draft, VanVleet has gone from an impressive G-League player to a key role player on a championship team, to a burgeoning star for the Raptors. He recorded a career-high 17.6 points and 6.6 assists in 54 games last season and showed continued growth as an offensive weapon.
The deal comes after Toronto spent both its draft picks Wednesday night on guards, adding Malachi Flynn in the first round and Jalen Harris in the second. VanVleet's leadership should help the rookies develop in Toronto's system until they are ready to take bigger roles in the future.
The Raptors will now look to their frontcourt where centres Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka who both remain free agents.
With a truncated offseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there won't be much time to fill out the roster before Raptors players must report to Tampa, Fla. on November 30th.
