Raptors news: Fred VanVleet to talk “serious money” with Magic, Poeltl shooting more

The Toronto Raptors will be gearing up for yet another Fred VanVleet free agency cycle, with the stakes higher than ever this time around. VanVleet is going to get one last big payday in his storied career, and Toronto won’t be the only team weighing the pros and cons of giving him nine figures.

VanVleet and the Orlando Magic, who could add a veteran point guard to supplement the dynamic frontcourt duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, have been linked fairly regularly. With cap space, the desire to improve quickly, and no state tax in Florida, the Magic could give VanVleet a contract that compensates him well.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Magic and VanVleet are likely going to “talk some serious money” in the offseason, meaning that Toronto will need to fend off at least one high-end suitor for VanVleet’s services in the near future.

The Raptors will likely give the Klutch Sports man a contract that keeps him in Toronto, but there is no guarantee that he will once choose to stay in the only NBA home he has known. Things could get very crazy if Orlando is going to match VanVleet’s price.

More Raptors news

• CNN anchor Zain Asher went viral for all the wrong reasons during a segment promoting all of the international players who participated in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, including Pascal Siakam. Asher pronounced Siakam’s name as “Shakeem.”
• Between this and Keith Pompey famously calling OG Anunoby “OG Obanoby,” these folks need to get a pronunciation guide ASAP.

• After Nick Nurse implied that he was going to bring Jakob Poeltl along as a shooter slowly, the excellent Samson Folk of Raptors Republic posted a video showing Poeltl extending his range out to about 15 feet. The results were mixed, proving that the Austrian big man is quite a ways away from turning into the second coming of Dirk Nowitzki.

NBA news

• The Atlanta Hawks fired head coach Nate McMillan, who has the team positioned at 29-30 in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Considering that he has reportedly had some friction with Trae Young and hasn’t reached the conference finals since his magical 2020-21 finish, it’s fair to assess that some sort of move was necessary.
• ESPN’s first 2024 mock draft is very bullish on the pro potential of Bronny James. The Sierra Canyon star was projected to be selected 10th overall by the Orlando Magic. While he still has a long way to go, this shows that he is a quality pro prospect irrespective of his family.