3 players who could leave the Toronto Raptors at the end of the season
Fred VanVleet
The likely gem of the Toronto Raptors free agency, Fred VanVleet is the player the Raptors will most want to re-sign this off-season. Since coming out of Wichita State as an undrafted free agent, Fred VanVleet has molded himself into one of the premier guards in the NBA.
In his second season in the NBA, VanVleet was a finalist in the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year voting, the next year he was an NBA champion and this year he has finally slotted into the Raptors starting lineup with consummate ease.
VanVleet is averaging 17.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game, shooting 41-percent from the field and 39-percent from deep, he is also fourth in the NBA for steals per game at 1.9. This season has been his best season in the NBA, by far. Even last season, though, VanVleet was proving his value to the Raptors in the postseason.
His performances against the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors were iconic in the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals, with his three-point shooting coming clutch on a nightly basis.
As good as VanVleet has been this season, and as much as the Toronto Raptors would want to keep him, it might be tough. While Gasol and Miller’s problems lie within the Raptors moving on from them, this might be a case of the Raptors being priced out re-signing VanVleet.
VanVleet will be one of the most sought after players in, truthfully, a rather weak free agency class. He could, easily, command something in the region of $20million a year. While it could be considered by some as overpaying, that’s just how the market works, especially when there aren’t too many options to consider.
The Raptors have helped VanVleet since day one, so you could imagine that he wants to re-sign with them – even more so because he’s a vital part of a championship-winning team, but if an offer that’s too good comes calling, it may be hard to turn down.
Next. Hypothetical All-NBA selections for the Toronto Raptors. dark
Dwane Casey has been a longtime admirer of Fred VanVleet since he helped him break onto the scene, and with the Detroit Pistons now rebuilding, VanVleet could be the face of the franchise. Hopefully, though, he sticks around in Toronto for a little longer.