Ranking the 5 best available NBA free agent point guards in 2023
By Jakob Ashlin
Best available NBA free agent point guards: 3. Fred VanVleet (player option)
Fred VanVleet is coming off a strange season, in which he shot a career-low 34.2 percent from 3. The shooting regression was surprising for the 2022 All-Star.
In addition, he was stuck on a team that was in limbo. The Toronto Raptors were clearly not title contenders. Subsequently, they explored moving VanVleet at the trade deadline. However, they could not find a deal.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Farbod Esnaashari, the Raptors discussed a trade with the Clippers, and they asked for Terance Mann and a first-round pick. The Clippers were unwilling to meet that asking price.
From multiple sources, the Toronto Raptors wanted Terance Mann and potentially a first round pick included for Fred VanVleet. That's why the Clippers didn't make the move.
— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) February 9, 2023
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Milwaukee Bucks also explored a VanVleet trade.
The Raptors ended up holding onto VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, and OG Anunoby, and they missed the playoffs with a 41-41 record.
Entering the summer, VanVleet’s market remains unclear. Do the Raptors want to re-sign him? Kicking off a rebuild seems like a distinct possibility. Given his value, he should command $30 million+ per season. The only team with cap space to offer him that deal is the Houston Rockets. Are they interested in VanVleet? They have also been connected to James Harden (more on that later).
Otherwise, will a contender pursue him in a sign-and-trade? The Clippers and Bucks could be incentivized to raise their offers following first-round playoff exits.
There are a lot of possibilities here. Regardless, VanVleet is an impact player. He will be one of the biggest dominoes to fall this offseason.