Fred VanVleet, Rockets agree to push back deadline

Fred VanVleet and the Houston Rockets are pushing back a contract deadline as they hope to work something out.

The Rockets can exercise an option to keep VanVleet with the team for $44.9 million next season. The original deadline for the team to make its decision about VanVleet’s option was Friday, but the sides have pushed that back until June 29.

What’s notable is that the new deadline is after the NBA draft is scheduled to take place on June 25-26. VanVleet could be part of a draft-day trade if the Rockets were to explore such a possibility.

Houston is coming off a season in which they went 52-30 and finished second in the West. Even though they lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs in seven games, it’s hard to feel like this season wasn’t a success for the Rockets.

Their young core of Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason seems to be a winning one. They added veterans like VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to complement their young players. VanVleet certainly seems to think the Rockets are headed in the right direction.

“We’re on track,” VanVleet told reporters Sunday night. “We’re on schedule.”

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka made his opinion on VanVleet very clear on Monday.

“We’d love to have him here, and I think the feeling is mutual,” Udoka said.