NBA Rumors: One Team To "Throw A Lot Of Money" At Fred VanVleet Thus Summer

The Toronto Raptors just may trade Fred VanVleet by next Thursday's trade deadline. But the receiving team will have to deal with the prospect of signing him to a new contract in the offseason, as VanVleet has essentially said he'll be opting out of the final year of this contract (worth $22M) and hitting free agency.

According to ESPN's Tim Bontemps on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast:

You're hearing a lot of murmurs that, hey, the Orlando Magic are willing to throw A LOT of money his way this summer. And they don't need help in a sign-and-trade. They've got cap space.

And the Magic are in need of a veteran, legitimate point guard. 

Orlando was named as one of eight teams said to be in on the VanVleet sweepstakes, if the Raptors are to deal him by February 9th. The others included both Los Angeles teams, the Clippers and the Lakers, the Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat.

The Magic have a boatload of talent up front, with the likes of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Bol Bol, Mo Bamba and Jonathan Isaac. But the backcourt still needs some work.

VanVleet has an All-Star appearance and a championship on his resume, as one of the greatest unsigned player success stories in recent NBA memory. He's averaged close to 20 points and 6.5 assists over the past three seasons, while being among the league leaders in steals and deflections on defense as well. 

He considers his last contract, signed in 2020, of 4-years, $85M to be very team-friendly, and is said to be looking for a deal that will pay him well in excess of $120M over four years. 

Photo: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports