Fred VanVleet is likely staying in Houston. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, VanVleet intends to sign a $50 million contract for two years with the Houston Rockets.

“Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet intends to sign a two-year, $50 million contract to stay with the franchise, with a player option in 2026-27, sources tell ESPN. Rockets are declining VanVleet's $44.9 million team option and land the new deal with Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul,” Charania wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The news comes after the Rockets agreed to acquire Kevin Durant in a trade with the Phoenix Suns. Houston enjoyed a strong 2024-25 season, but Durant's presence on the roster could help them reach the next level. Keeping a veteran such as VanVleet will also help the Rockets.

The 31-year-old guard averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per outing in 2024-25 — his second season in Houston. VanVleet played in Toronto with the Raptors from the 2016-17 campaign through 2022-23 before joining the Rockets in 2023-24. An All-Star and an NBA champion, VanVleet has enjoyed an overall strong career.

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Winning another championship is the goal with Houston, however. The fact that the Rockets included a potential future star in Jalen Green in the trade for Durant speaks to Houston's win-now mindset.

There is still plenty of offseason remaining. The Rockets will be a team to closely monitor throughout the summer. It remains to be seen if Houston will strike another massive trade or land a star free agent, but at the very least Houston may try to add more depth around the star players.

It is important to note that Fred VanVleet's contract is not official yet. Assuming no unforeseen circumstances occur, though, the veteran guard will sign a two-year, $50 million contract with the Rockets as Houston looks to compete for an NBA championship over the next couple of seasons.