Lakers trade rumors: LeBron James and co. to land STAR PG to compete with Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and rest of the West
Fred VanVleet declined his player option and is now an Unrestricted Free Agent.
Follow Us
LeBron James and Fred VanVleet
The NBA off-season has barely started but the teams are making moves in full flow. With the Washington Wizards sending Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, teams in the West would be wary. Particularly the Los Angeles Lakers, who had a rather anticlimactic end to their playoff run last season. The Lakers were reported to pursue seasoned guards to strengthen their roster in the offseason. With that being said, LA might look at Fred VanVleet as a viable option.
Fred VanVleet has built his reputation as an exceptional guard while playing for the Toronto Raptors. He even won a championship with the side in 2019. However, ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season, VanVleet has decided to decline his player option for the 2023-24 season, making him an unrestricted free agent. Being a UFA, the guard is expected to attract an amount of $30 million and upwards.
Fred VanVleet opted out of a $22.8 million deal with the Toronto Raptors. Moreover, with teams other than the Lakers looking for a reliable guard, VanVleet could end up making more than or around $90 million in the next three years. In the 2022-23 season, VanVleet averaged 19.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. This was the statistically best season of his career. However, he shot just 39.3 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from the three-point line.
Related: Kyle Kuzma ready to DECLINE $13M for a Lakers return
Will Fred VanVleet join the Los Angeles Lakers?
The Lakers could find Fred VanVleet to be a very convenient pursuit to team up with LeBron James. However, they would not be the only ones after him. Initially, Los Angeles was accompanied by the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, and Orlando Magic. The Toronto Raptors, however, could still look to resign VanVleet and explore trade options. In that scenario, LA would have to move a player like D’Angelo Russell (another unrestricted free agent) in order to make a reasonable trade offer for the guard.
If Los Angeles wants to get the former Raptors guard, their best option would be a sign-and-trade deal. This means that LA would have to sign D’Angelo Russell to have a valid proposition. Whether or not the management decides to pursue such a deal remains to be seen.
In case you missed:
Stay Updated!
Ritvik Malhotra
(1085 Articles Published)