Will Fred VanVleet's recent hot streak prompt Toronto Raptors to trade him?
Fred VanVleet is an NBA champion and All-Star and currently on one of the hottest streaks of his career.
He is also loyal, sticking with his high school, his college and even his pro team when there may have been, on paper, better options available.
This time, maybe his team might want to move on. The Toronto Raptors (21-27) are unlikely to make the playoffs this season and may want to trade Rockford's greatest basketball player before losing him to free agency, the same way the Chicago Bears dealt star linebacker Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens rather than sign him to a $100 million contract.
VanVleet, who led Auburn to its first two NIC-10 basketball titles in more than 30 years, signed a four-year, $85 million extension with the Raptors three years ago. He has an opt-out after this year, where he could choose to give up the $22.8 million he is owed for next year. That seems a done deal after his recent hot streak. In his last four games, VanVleet has:
33 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and only one turnover in an overtime win over the Knicks.
39 points, 7 assists, 9 rebounds and one turnover in a loss to the Bucks.
25 points, 10 assists and two turnovers in a loss to the Timberwolves.
28 points and one turnover in a win over the Knicks.
How impressive is that? Well, the low turnover numbers make that especially rare. WIFR anchor Mike Garrigan tweeted that VanVleet is the first player in NBA history to score 33 or more points with at least five rebounds, seven assists and one or fewer turnovers in back-to-back games.
The Phoenix Suns, who reached the NBA Finals two years ago and have a 37-year-old point guard in Chris Paul, are rumored to be interested in a trade for VanVleet. The Orlando Magic have also been tied to VanVleet trade rumors.
A perfectly timed hot streak
VanVleet, 28, denied a report earlier this month that he had turned down a four-year, $114 million extension offer from Toronto before the season began.
“There was never a formal offer made,” VanVleet told reporters on Jan. 10. “It was a mutual decision made by both sides that the smart thing to do would be to wait it out.”
VanVleet's recent hot streak has brought his scoring average up to 19.1 points, just short of his career-high 20.3 last year, when he became the first Rockford native to ever become an NBA, MLB, NFL or NHL All-Star.
The team's slow start has led to trade rumors for three different Raptors. VanVleet recently said there was a clear way to stop that.
"The better you play and the better your team does, the lower the chance anybody getting shipped out of here," he told reporters on Jan. 21. "If you (crap) the bed, you set yourself up for anything to happen."
Yahoo's Jake Fischer speculated last week that Toronto would not entertain trade offers for VanVleet if he weren't having a down season. His current hot streak, though, has lifted his numbers — especially his shooting percentage — to inline with his previous three seasons as a starter.
More:The 1 time NBA star Fred VanVleet was scared on a basketball court and why he made a movie
List of potential suitors grows
VanVleet has always shown loyalty to his teams. He followed his older brothers to Auburn even though he also had ties to Boylan — going to the Fightin' Titans basketball camp since he was a kid. And he stayed with Wichita State even after bigger schools began to recruit him before he officially signed. He stayed with Toronto the first time he was a free agent.
This time, VanVleet is expected to opt out of his final contract year simply for financial reasons.
Under the NBA's salary cap rules, an extension last summer couldn't have been for more than $120 million. Yahoo reports that VanVleet's market value will be in line for a five-year, $230 million deal this spring. That could still be with Toronto. Or the Raptors could trade him.
We will know soon. The trade deadline is Feb. 9. Phoenix seems the most likely trade partner. Chris Paul is the fifth-oldest player in the NBA and has already missed 21 games with an injury.
VanVleet is ready for whatever happens, with news breaking Tuesday that he has changed agents.
The Athletic names the Lakers and Mavericks as other trade partners interested in VanVleet. It also mentions "VanVleet means a ton to the Raptors, on the court and culturally."
Clutchpoints.com adds the Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans to the mix of interested suitors.
It's also at least 50-50 that VanVleet remains in Toronto.
Either way, he couldn't have picked a better time to get hot.
Contact: mtrowbridge@rrstar.com, @matttrowbridge or 815-987-1383. Matt Trowbridge has covered sports for the Rockford Register Star for over 30 years, after previous stints in North Dakota, Delaware, Vermont and Iowa City.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Fred VanVleet's hot streak could lead to a trade
