One of the best point guards in the 2023 free agency class has found a new home. Fred VanVleet is headed to the Houston Rockets after agreeing to a 3-year, $130 million deal in free agency, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The former Toronto Raptors star was expected to be the most coveted guard in what turned out to be a weaker market this offseason and he got the best contract offer he could have received.

Despite the Raptors last-ditch effort to try and retain him, VanVleet decided that capitalizing on what could be his last major contract was a priority.

Now, he joins a younger Rockets team that is quickly looking to turn their recent misfortunes around. They have a lot of talent still on rookie deals and with Ime Udoka taking the reins on the sideline, Houston has an expectation to be competitive right away during the 2023-24 season.

Fred VanVleet player background

VanVleet is arguably the greatest modern undrafted story in the NBA. Going undrafted in 2016 after playing for Wichita State in college, he was picked up by the Raptors, a team heralded for their player development during this time.

Over the years, VanVleet carved out a name for himself in Toronto as a bullish back-up point guard for a scrappy Raptors team that regularly contended in the playoffs. His first breakout came in 2018, as he was part of Toronto's Bench Mob that garnered attention during the regular season.

However, VanVleet truly became a household name in 2019, particularly during the Raptors' championship run in the playoffs. After being ice-cold in the early stages, VanVleet found a second gear in the Eastern Conference Finals. He shot the lights out against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors, becoming the primary point-of-attack defender against Stephen Curry in the NBA Finals.

Since then, VanVleet has risen up the ranks to be one of the best point guards in the league. He was named an All-Star two years ago and while his production took a slight dip last season, the hope is that a lesser workload than Nick Nurse' taxing rotations will help the All-Star regain his past form.

Fred VanVleet's Fit With Rockets

The Rockets signed Fred VanVleet with a couple of goals in mind.

For one, VanVleet brings a steady hand on offense, as he's an excellent stabilizer when things go south. In addition, his shooting and defense will also be valuable for the Rockets next season. Having a ton of cap space to play around with this offseason, VanVleet quickly become a prime target for Houston due to their need for veteran play.

Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun are all promising talents that are only going to get better. The same can be said for rookie guard Amen Thompson as well after he was drafted fourth overall by the Rockets.

However, every team with youthful, high-potential players always needs experienced players to lean on, especially in leadership roles. This is exactly what VanVleet will provide to the Rockets and his championship experience will be invaluable to the growth of this young team.

The future is looking bright in Houston, as they finally have a sense of direction after trading former league MVP James Harden in 2021.