The Raptors offered guard Fred VanVleet a four-year, $114 extension prior to the season and it was never “rejected,” a source told Michael Grange of SportsNet (Twitter link). Instead, both sides mutually decided to wait with no deadline discussed.
Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports was the first to report the Raptors’ extension offer. Van Vleet can become a free agent this summer if he declines his $22,824,074 option.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Joel Embiid missed his third consecutive game on Sunday afternoon due to sore left foot. The Sixers cruised past the Pistons without their star center and they’re not concerned about the injury, as Embiid is showing progress, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.
- Celtics center Robert Williams has been on a minutes restriction, between 17-22 minutes, since returning from a knee injury. The restriction has apparently been lifted and Williams says he’s ready to play more, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes. “I’m here for whatever. Obviously, they’re trying to be careful and make the smart decision. If the guys are out there rolling, they’re rolling,” Williams said. “I enjoy playing the game. Coming off the bench, I feel like I’ve been able to be decisive on where we need to insert energy.”
- Nets big man Nic Claxton believes the team already has all the pieces in place to win a championship, according to Sharif Phillips-Keaton of Yahoo Sports. “Everybody, especially earlier in the season, ‘Oh, they need this, they need a big, they need that,’ but we have everything we need when everybody is on the court, locked in, and we’re all scrambling, playing hard,” he said.
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