Rockets' Fred VanVleet Ranked as 17th-Best Floor General

In many respects, Fred VanVleet is an enigma. He's scrutinized by NBA fans for his limitations, but he's heavily valued by the Houston Rockets.

We've heard about his inability to throw lob passes and his limited scoring ability by fans. In spite of those warts, the Rockets' brass went on an all-out pursuit to secure his services in 2023, outbidding everyone in their way, to the tune of $128.5 million over three years.

The 2019 NBA champion has been an extension to Rockets coach Ime Udoka, operating as a second coach on the floor. He's also one of the better defenders at his position and is a formidable long-range shooter, especially when factoring in his shooting volume (7.7 attempts per game).

He also rarely turns the ball over for a floor general, ranking fourth in assists-to-turnovers in 2024-25 among table-setters.

In the postseason, VanVleet averaged 18.7 points, 4.4 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 43 percent from the floor, 63.2 percent true shooting, and 43.5 percent from distance on 8.9 long-range attempts, outpacing Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry.

Rockets' point guard Fred VanVleet. — Apr 28, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) warms up before game four of the 2025 NBA Playoffs first round against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Heading into 2025-26, HoopsHype's Frank Urbina ranked the Rockets point guard as the 17th-best point guard in the association.

"Veteran floor general Fred VanVleet continues trucking along as one of the better starting point guards in the league, playing with impressive amounts of toughness to go with his deep three-point shooting and steady playmaking.

VanVleet isn’t an All-Star, at least not in the loaded Western Conference, but he’s on the tier right below that among NBA point guards. Just last season, the Illinois native helped play a large part in the Houston Rockets making the leap from mediocrity back to being among the West’s elite. It merely led to a first-round exit for the team but even so, it was an important year for the Rockets, one that the group, led by VanVleet, will be expected to build on in 2025-26."

This offseason, the Rockets declined VanVleet's $44.9 million team option, in favor of a longer term deal worth $50 million over two years. The second year of the deal includes a player option this time around.

The deal gives VanVleet a no-trade clause, under the One-Year Bird classification. This is mainly for players who sign one-year deals with the same team they played for in the previous season, and also includes players who ink two-year deals with a player or club option in the latter year.