Rockets Point Guard Listed Among Top NBA Free Agents This Offseason

Houston Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet is among the top free agents this NBA offseason, according to ESPN.

Dec 23, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets have a major decision this offseason regarding point guard Fred VanVleet. After bringing the former All-Star and NBA champion to Houston back in 2023, the Rockets have had a rollercoaster experience with him running the offense.

VanVleet's first season in Houston was generally positive. The veteran averaged 17.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 8.1 assists as the Rockets went 41-41, barely missing the Play-In Tournament. That season was a massive step in the rebuild as VanVleet was a major piece alongside a young core.

However, this past season was peculiar. The Rockets soared, going 52-30 while locking up the No. 2 seed in a crowded Western Conference. But it was despite VanVleet declining across the board, averaging 14.1 points and 5.5 assists on 37.8% shooting from the field. He had an impressive few games in Houston's first-round exit, but he was generally a net negative for the season.

Which brings us to today. VanVleet has a $44.9 million team option with the Rockets this offseason. If they decline it, he will enter unrestricted free agency with a chance to return on a team-friendly deal, but also the freedom to explore any and every option with other teams.

ESPN's Kevin Pelton ranked VanVleet as the fifth-best free agent this offseason in a recent article. The 6-foot guard ranked behind LeBron James, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Julius Randle. While the $44.9 million option is expensive, putting Houston over the first apron, Pelton believes he should continue to be the floor general in Houston, perhaps on a smaller contract.

"Unlike the other players in this tier, VanVleet's option year is at the Rockets' discretion as part of a three-year max deal he signed with Houston two summers ago," Pelton wrote. "Given how well VanVleet has fit with a Rockets team that earned the No. 2 seed in the West, declining the option and letting him walk would make no sense.

"With the luxury tax becoming a factor, however, Houston might want to replace VanVleet's $44.9 million option with a smaller starting salary on a longer-term contract for the 31-year-old point guard."

The Rockets also have the chance to go after big-name superstars this offseason, with players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant linked to the team. Picking up VanVleet's option and then moving him in a package would help salaries match, posing another option for Houston.