Fred VanVleet could soon be moving down the border with this name starting to get serious buzz ahead of this week's NBA trade deadline. The Toronto Raptors guard is said to be on the radars of the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns, two playoff contenders who are each looking to boost their backcourt.
“Several opposing executives have since labeled VanVleet as the most likely Raptor to be traded ahead of Thursday's deadline. A pair of Western Conference contenders in the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns have been often mentioned as VanVleet suitors,” per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Fred VanVleet signed a two-year deal with the Raptors in 2018 worth $18 million. He bet on himself and it paid off big time when he inked a four-year $85 million deal with Toronto in 2020. His current contract won't expire until the end of the 2023-24 NBA season unless he drops his player option for that season, which is worth $22.82 million.
The Raptors are on the outside looking in of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Trading away Fred VanVleet will hurt Toronto's chances to make the boat to the postseason, though, that will also depend on what kind of asset they'd get back in such a deal.
At the moment, the Clippers have Terrance Mann and Reggie Jackson handling most of the point guard duties for the team with John Wall currently sidelined with an upper-body injury. The Suns, on the other hand, failed in their previous attempt to land Kyrie Irving, but are seemingly not giving up on their chances to work out a deal that would give their guard room a shot in the arm.
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