Fred VanVleet denies receiving an extension offer from the Raptors

For many this will not be surprising. For others, loyalty deserves that we put in the form and thus that the Raptors offer a new contract to Fred VanVleet. But not everything is so simple. The case does not boil down to “I love you neither”. Let’s expand.

“I have never been given a formal offer”. The point is crystal clear, one side would not necessarily say no while the other, for now, says nothing.

However, it is vital – yes vital – not to start shouting at the rake. The Raptors have made no extension offer to their All-Star point guard. Last Saturday is Josh Lewenberg from TSN which revealed behind the scenes of the summer discussions between Fred VanVleet and the Canadian management. The journalist was talking about an offer of 114 million over four years, refused by Frédo the scoundrel! Amazing that. To sit on $28.5 million per season when you don’t necessarily have the ability to be No. 2/1 with regularity for a Playoffs team is cheeky. So cheeky it was wrong. “I understand that we are in an era where we take two sentences of an article to make a tweet. And then all of a sudden I get 300 messages last night saying I declined 114 million which I haven’t”. Bim, the bastos pulled by FVV towards the snags of Josh Lewenberg. We see that a lot in European sport, the denials and counter-attacks. Rarely in the NBA.

But the situation is still… central. The future of a franchise hangs in the balance. Fred VanVleet, one of the main architects of the title in 2019, Mr. off the bench at the time, is today the Raptors’ No. 2 offensive option. Not the franchise player – out of respect for Pascal Siakam, gigantic this season – but an extremely important silhouette in Nick Nurse’s group. Tauliere. Housewife. And suddenly ? Is it really worth throwing big wads to prolong an example of loyalty that will likely bottle up the payroll? We appreciate it at 22 million per season our Fred VanVleet (and even that, some would have their say). But if the rate increases, in the year of his 29th birthday, when he is in difficulty on the sporting level with only 38% success in shooting, Masai Ujiri risks keeping a friend at the cost of thousands of enemies.

So there is no rush. Let basketball have its way. May Fred VanVleet regain his standards of last season, and may the management of the Raptors weigh the pros and cons, take the time to reflect, brainstormget together around the same issue, a single controversy, and swing this manure in Memphis in exchange for Dillon Brooks and Danny Green.

” There is no emergency. I can still sign the extension. Until the end of the season. I also have a player option in my contract this summer. We can deal with it at the end of the season. And also, I’m on the books for next year, so take my word for it. »

– Fred VanVleet

Fred VanVleet says he never received an extension offer from the Raptors… pic.twitter.com/7B6PwiELGk

— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) January 9, 2023