Fred VanVleet Viewed Himself An $30-35 Million Per Year Player Before This Season, Says NBA Insider

Fred VanVleet is a solid point guard that is considered to be among the best in the league, and he is currently averaging 19.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 6.5 APG for the Toronto Raptors. 

Ahead of this year's trade deadline, Fred VanVleet has been featured in a lot of trade rumors due to his contract situation with the Toronto Raptors. He can decline his player option for the 2023-24 season to become an unrestricted free agent. VanVleet has not been given an extension by the Raptors thus far and rejected a $114 million extension ahead of the season. A recent report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype revealed that VanVleet rejected the extension because he views himself as a $30-35 million per year player.

I was told that the four-year, $114 million extension offer was never going to be high enough since VanVleet, who’s one of the top free agents entering the market this summer, considered himself somewhere in the $30-35 million average annual range, which is similar to Jrue Holiday’s average annual salary (this season), for example.

It seems highly unlikely that Fred VanVleet will get a contract that gives him $30-35 million annually going forward. His efficiency has been poor this season, and though he's been playing better as of late, VanVleet has had a tough year overall. With that being said, there's always a chance that a team decides to take a risk on him and give him that deal in free agency. The Phoenix Suns and the Orlando Magic are two teams that have been touted as potential free-agency suitors for Fred VanVleet.

The Los Angeles Clippers Want To Trade For Fred VanVleet

Before Fred VanVleet hits free agency, there is a chance that a team would like to acquire him via trade. A previous report revealed that the Clippers are a team that is interested in getting VanVleet via trade.

"League sources say the Clippers are also interested in Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet... VanVleet, who is at no. 76, is overall the best target for the Clippers considering he’s only 28, he’s a relentless on-ball defender, and he was an All-Star just last season."

There is no doubt that Fred VanVleet would be a good fit with the Clippers based on his 3PT shooting and perimeter defense. Going from a No. 2 option to being a No. 3 option could end up benefitting him as well.

Obviously, there are other players that the Los Angeles Clippers could elect to target in the future. However, few are as seamless of a fit as Fred VanVleet, and we'll see what happens in the future.