Despite losing Kawhi Leonard, the Toronto Raptors are currently 46-18 (2nd in the Eastern Conference) and have clinched a playoff birth for the seventh consecutive season. Their continuity will likely give them a huge advantage as teams around the league readjust to the new situation everyone is forced to deal with after the NBA’s season suspension. With Fred VanVleet on the cusp of being one of the biggest names on the Free Agent market, whatever kind of season that remains will be crucial for him to make a lasting impact considering his future earnings are currently up for grabs.
Fred VanVleet has benefitted greatly from being an undrafted FA. Not only did he get to choose the team he played for (a perennial playoff team in Toronto), but he was also awarded a 2y/$18M contract after the 2017-18 season despite never starting a game thanks to the fact he wasn’t constrained to a rookie contract like the rest of the 2016 class.
Now VanVleet will get an opportunity to test the waters again as he will be the hottest commodity entering free agency this year. Anthony Davis and Brandon Ingram are both FAs that are clearly in a tier above the 26-year-old, but they are highly unlikely to sign elsewhere this summer while VanVleet could be the most impactful player to change jerseys.
VanVleet’s 12 points in the 4th quarter during Game 6 of the NBA Finals will never be forgotten in Toronto. After successful tournament runs at Wichita State, FVV has proved multiple times throughout the playoffs that no moment was too big for him – especially after the birth of his son during last year’s playoff run. Despite slumping for the first 15 games of the 2019 postseason, he turned his game around after becoming a father and started playing with a whole new level of confidence that helped the Raptors defeat the best two teams in the league when it mattered most.
Fred VanVleet doesn’t get the chance to be the primary ball-handler all the time in the 6ix with 6x All-Star Kyle Lowry in place, but he’s proven to be a sufficient playmaker when given the chance and could look at an opportunity that gives him the keys to the offense (like in New York or Orlando) favorably if the money is the most lucrative as well. However, VanVleet’s loyalty to the only team that gave him a chance out of college might come into play, especially if the Raptors have another deep playoff run that provides enough hope for adding to his ring collection in the future.
FUTURE OUTLOOK: B+
Fred VanVleet might be the smallest combo guard in NBA history as he’s shown the ability to play both PG and SG despite his small stature (6’1″, 195 lbs). While Toronto’s guards lack size, they certainly don’t lack skills with Lowry & VanVleet representing one of the best backcourts in Basketball.
Toronto’s Finals MVP and unquestioned best player Kawhi Leonard left for Los Angeles, which was supposed to put the Raptors back in the middle of the pack or at the very least, remove them from title contention. Instead, Nick Nurse is having another Coach of the Year type of season as he deserves credit for the wealth of players that have stepped up their game in Leonard’s absence. Pascal Siakam has developed into the best PF in the conference, Norman Powell has doubled his productivity, Kyle Lowry’s experiencing a scoring resurgence, and Fred VanVleet has taken his biggest jump yet from role player to high-quality starter.
Norman Powell has been a key D&3 piece for this team for years and now has the scoring prowess (16.4 PPG on 50.2% FG) to be counted on even more. Raptors GM Masia Ujiri has dipped into the undrafted free agent market time after time and found what looks to be another valuable future asset in Terence Davis. Toronto’s backcourt is rounded out by sharpshooting overseas veteran Matt Thomas who understandably hasn’t had many opportunities to contribute right away on a championship-caliber team.
If VanVleet departs this summer, the Raptors should be fine with Powell & Davis handling SG responsibilities with OG Anunoby getting more minutes as the starting SF and Kyle Lowry at the 1 for at least another year. They’ll need another contributor that can at least come in for Lowry and ideally be versatile enough to play the 2 as well. Nobody fits that role better than VanVleet himself, but as the top Free Agent that’s actually available this summer, his price could get too high for a team that has major decisions coming up in the near future. Not to mention, Masai Ujiri has proven he can find quality talent for the low. Keeping Masai Ujiri in town as the basketball decision-maker is more crucial for their sustained success than any player on the roster.
RAPTORS SG OUTLOOK: B
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