Fred VanVleet is set to become an unrestricted free agent and multiple NBA teams are expected to go after him. This means that he could leave the same team where he won his first NBA title if the offer is right. But for head coach Nick Nurse, such a development would be a surprise.
VanVleet, 26, is seen by most as the player who will likely succeed Kyle Lowry. The one-time NBA champion is coming off a good season with the Raptors, a reason why VanVleet has drawn the interest of several clubs. He averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 3.8 rebounds last season, one of the reasons why Toronto had a good run.
Though Toronto lost Kawhi Leonard to the Los Angeles Clippers and Danny Green to the Los Angeles Lakers, Nurse was able to make the necessary adjustments. Lowry stepped up his game but it was the contributions of players like VanVleet and company that made a big difference.
Aside from that, it appears Nurse has a good working relationship with VanVleet, a reason why he believes it would be surprising to see the 6-foot-1 guard jump ship. Nurse mentioned these when he appeared on the Tim and Sid podcast.
A team heavily linked to VanVleet is the New York Knicks. Now under the watch of Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks need a proven guard to lead the squad. However, VanVleet would be joining a team that may not have better chances that what the Raptors have now. Unless he is open to starting fresh and get the chance to star for a team struggling for identity, the chances of VanVleet joining the Knicks are not looking good.
But make no mistake about it, the Knicks will try to offer something lucrative to VanVleet. The Raptors may counter that offer for as long as it is within their financial capacity. At the end of the day, it all depends on what VanVleet wants moving forward.
Considering he has been part of a team that made the NBA playoffs for the past two seasons, it would be hard to imagine he would prioritize big money over success. There is the challenge of leading the Knicks and gain bragging rights. But right now, VanVleet is in a good place so dumping all of that for something else is debatable.
Of course, it would be different if some other souped-up team would come knocking. If that club holds the same (if not better) chances compared to the Raptors, VanVleet’s case is expected to get interesting.
