Btw is Fred okay? Sometimes "personal reasons" could be some family death or something really bad in that regard. Hopefully it's a missed flight or something.
I think that is probably Plan A, but I doubt the annual salary is that low. But i feel like what this team needs from Fred can be obtained at a much lower salary. I haven’t done any digging, but I think we could fulfill our needs at the price point you mentioned.
I mean it's a scenario but doesn't seem likely. Not many teams have cap space next Summer, and most would value him around the mid level. Non tax paying teams would likely offer him the 12mil of course, but for 4 years???.. which is what he would need in order to surpass what he already has guaranteed with his current contract if he picks up his option. Assuming he's still a rotation player AFTER next season, he's likely to get at least 1 more decent vet/MLE type of deal one would think. So the smart financial decision for him is going to be to pick up his option, and look for one more good veteran/MLE type of deal to finish out his career with the best team that offers him that deal. For the Rockets I don't think it would make too much sense to keep him on the books longterm on anything in that 14 to 18m per year range. Which is what they would need to offer him IMO to decline, and extend. That 26/27 season is also the season where it looks like a Jabari, and Tari extension would go into affect, and you are looking at having the salaries of Jalen, Sengun, and Brooks as well. I would assume the Rockets don't want to be in a situation where in 2026/27 they aren't in a situation where they have to let a talent like Jabari walk in free agency because they extended out too much money for an aging FVV. Just my guess, but seems to make sense for all sides for FVV to pick up his option, and likely be the most likely contract to get traded in the offseason. Maybe some of the contract, and role moving forward discussions behind closed doors is the reason why FVV missed the game for "personal reasons." Probably not, but maybe there is an issue there with him, and the team not being aligned on his future.
It is a team option not a player option. The only reason the Rockets will pick it up is they don't have a significant trade to pull off or want his expiring contract for a trade at the deadline next year. The smart thing to do is trade him before the deadline this year.
The Houston Rockets have a 7-9 record without Fred VanVleet this season. https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/rockets-record-without-fred-vanvleet-this-season
he’s gonna end up missing over a quarter of the season. In fact Fred has only played more than 70 games twice in his 9 yr career. He averages about 62 games a season. In my opinion, u can’t pay a guy big money who misses about a quarter of the season every year. I get that we don’t have an alternative on the roster right now, but that doesn’t mean we should be desperate to pay Fred. Availability is an underrated skill. Fred is not worth $30 mil. Our GM’s job is to find a better alternative or get Fred to take what he’s really worth…somewhere in the $20’s.
