Rockets' Fred VanVleet hit with hefty fine for outburst against officials

In overreacting to being ejected on Saturday night, Fred VanVleet stormed toward an NBA official, pointing at him with his arm fully extended. As he walked hard toward the official, VanVleet kept repeating profanities during the Houston Rockets' game against the Portland Trail Blazers. The NBA attempted to course-correct his mistake by fining VanVleet $50,000, per insider Marc Stein.

“Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet has been fined $50,000 for confronting and directing profane language toward the officiating staff near the conclusion of the Rockets' 104-98 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 23 at Toyota Center, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.”

VanVleet received a technical after being called for an offensive foul with 4.1 seconds left in the game. After Anfernee Simmons made the technical free throw for the Blazers, VanVleet was ejected.

Rockets have a good thing going to start season

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) brings the ball up the court as Indiana Pacers forward Johnny Furphy (12) defends during the first quarter at Toyota Center. — Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

While this ejection and fine came from frustration in the heat of the moment, the Houston Rockets have much more going for them. They are certainly playing inspired basketball to begin the 2024-25 season.

In Brett Siegel's latest ClutchPoints NBA Power Rankings, the Rockets moved down one spot to No. 6.

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The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.

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Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) reacts after a play during the game against the Toronto Raptors at Toyota Center.

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“So far, the Houston Rockets have been the biggest surprise in the Western Conference. Then again, Ime Udoka's group showed flashes of what they were capable of doing last season, so it shouldn't be all that shocking to see this young group beginning to take major steps forward together.

Like the Magic, Houston is putting in work defensively, and they are forcing their opponents into tough shots. The Rockets are allowing their opponents to shoot 42.7 percent from the floor and 34.3 percent from three-point range, which rank second and fifth in the league, respectively. If it wasn't for some lackluster offensive play that led to losses against the Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers last week, the Rockets would be sitting at the top of the conference riding a nine-game win streak. This Rockets team is legit and needs to be taken seriously as a threat each and every night.”

The Rockets also have two unlikely players who are considered untouchable in trade negotiations, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

“The Rockets and Warriors are kind of in the same boat. They're playing a lot of guys, they've got some young guys they like, and they've got picks at their disposal and players to trade,” Brian Windhorst said. “The question is will they like what they've got in January or will they look to upgrade. There are some teams that have been watching the Rockets, waiting to see if they move, and the message that they've sent out that those two guys, Tari Eason and Amen Thompson, guys that they've drafted in the last three years are untouchable. Now everything in life is a negotiation, especially in the NBA, but I'm told those guys are untouchable.”

The Rockets travel to Minneapolis to play the Timberwolves on Tuesday, November 26, at 8:00 p.m. EST.