According to sources, Fred VanVleet is leaving the Raptors to join the Rockets on a three-year, $130 million US contract.
The reported contract is the NBA’s highest ever for an undrafted player.
The Toronto Raptors have said goodbye to sturdy point guard Fred VanVleet, re-signed center Jakob Poeltl, and welcomed German guard Dennis Schröder.
According to various reports on Friday, VanVleet is leaving the Raptors after seven seasons and signing a three-year, $130 million US contract with the Houston Rockets.
VanVleet earned an NBA Summer League contract with the Raptors after going undrafted out of Wichita State in 2016 and progressively progressed through the club’s ranks to become an epitome of Toronto’s excellent player development.
The Rockford, Illinois native advanced from G League champion to NBA champion and all-star.
VanVleet was a key contributor to the Raptors’ 2019 championship run, scoring 22 points in Game 6 against the Golden State Warriors, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter.
He filled the point-guard vacuum left by club legend Kyle Lowry in 2021-22, earning all-star honors with a career-high 20.3 points per game.
The 29-year-old is now rumored to be signing the NBA’s highest contract for an undrafted player in history.
VanVleet averaged 19.3 points and 7.2 assists last season as Toronto ended 41-41 and missed the playoffs following a play-in loss to the Chicago Bulls.
VanVleet, who was actively embroiled in trade rumors at last season’s trade deadline, renounced his $22.8-million player option to enter free agency two weeks ago.
He joins a Rockets squad that hasn’t won more than 22 games in the last three seasons but is loaded with young talent, including guard Jalen Green, forward Jabari Smith Jr., and center Alperen Sengun.
The Raptors acted quickly to replace VanVleet, reportedly signing Schröder to a two-year, $26 million contract.
Schröder led the Lakers with 12.6 points and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 32.9 percent from three-point range.
The 29-year-old has previously worked in Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Los Angeles, Boston, and Houston.
Despite losing VanVleet, the Raptors were able to keep one of their free agents.
Poeltl is said to have agreed to a four-year, $80-million contract with a player option for the final season.
Last season, the 27-year-old averaged 13.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 26 games with Toronto.
At last season’s trade deadline, the Raptors acquired Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Khem Birch, a protected 2024 first-round pick, and two future seconds.
Poeltl, who was picked ninth overall by Toronto in 2016, was moved to San Antonio along with DeMar DeRozan in 2018 to obtain Kawhi Leonard.
Many significant names remain.
The majority of the big players stayed put on the first night of free agency, including Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton, Kyle Kuzma, and others.
Irving and Luka Doncic are going to try again together in Dallas. Green is going to chase more championships with Stephen Curry in Golden State, just like Middleton is alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.
The biggest deals, in terms of total value, had to wait until after midnight EDT — when the calendar flipped to July 1 for the start of a new league year.
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