The Toronto Raptors seem to be bent on keeping Fred VanVleet around for next season. The star point guard is one of the most coveted names in the market, and plenty of teams are lining up to sign VanVleet. One of the Raptors' biggest competitors for VanVleet's services are the Houston Rockets. After initially reporting on Houston's interest, Marc Stein confirmed that the team's interest in FVV is legitimate.

“I wrote extensively Monday night about Houston's interest in signing Fred VanVleet away from Toronto. This has led to a flurry of informants advising me to give strong credence to projections that the Rockets want to sign VanVleet, who shot just 39.3% from the field this past season and 34.2% on 3-pointers, to a max two-year deal projected at $83.6 million.”

As Stein noted, VanVleet struggled heavily last season for the Raptors. After earning an All-Star nod the year prior, the point guard went through a season-long shooting slump. In addition, his defense took a step back, and his offensive weaknesses were exposed. Despite that, optimists point to VanVleet's unnaturally high workload as a reason for his slump.

The Rockets' pursuit of Fred VanVleet seems to be a part of the front office's plan to return to title contention next year. Rumors of a potential James Harden return loom, although these rumors have significantly died down. Still, VanVleet could be lured away with a much larger contract than what the Raptors believe he's worth. Houston could also pivot to a Jaylen Brown signing if the Harden chase goes awry.

As for VanVleet, the star point guard is looking to redeem himself after his worst season as a starter. It's easy to forget after that disastrous 2022-23 season, but the Raptors guard was an All-Star a year prior. The ability to perform at a high level was there: perhaps a change in scenery is what he needs. Whether he finds that greener pasture with a new coach in Toronto or in a different city is the question.