Getty Fred VanVleet guards Bradley Beal
The Phoenix Suns are the betting favorites to land an $85 million All-Star.
According to the latest odds from Sportsbetting.ag, the Suns have the best odds (+300) to acquire Fred VanVleet. The Toronto Raptors point guard can become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines his 2023-24 player option worth $22.8 million.
VanVleet, who is an undrafted player, signed a four-year, $85 million contract with the Raptors in November 2020. He averaged 19.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists this season while shooting 39.3% from the field, 34.2% from beyond the arc and 89.8% from the free-throw line.
The Raptors lost to the Chicago Bulls in the 9-10 play-in game at home and didn’t qualify for the postseason this year.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported in February that the Suns are expected to pursue VanVleet this summer if the NBA champion hits unrestricted free agency. Future Hall of Famer Chris Paul is 38 and has a partially guaranteed contract for next season.
Report: The Suns Are Likely to Guarantee the Full Salary of Chris Paul for the 2023-24 Season
The Suns are likely to guarantee the full salary of Paul for the 2023-24 season, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. CP3 signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the Suns in August 2021.
Phoenix and Toronto could possibly execute a sign-and-trade deal involving Paul and VanVleet if the latter is interested in joining the Suns.
“Paul, 38, is only guaranteed $15.8 million of his $30.8 million wage if he were to be waived by the June 28 deadline,” Haynes wrote. “Phoenix still maintains some flexibility with the decision, but the franchise is currently of the mindset that Paul will open up next season as the team’s starting point guard, sources say.”
Paul is at the end of his career. He suffered a groin injury in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets and missed the rest of the series. Paul averaged just 12.4 points and 7.4 assists in the 2023 playoffs while shooting 41.8% overall and 32.1% from 3-point land.
Fred VanVleet to Heavy Sports: ‘Talent by Itself Is Just Not Good Enough’
Before the Raptors lost to the Bulls in the play-in game, VanVleet spoke with Heavy Sports senior insider Steve Bulpett and sounded like a guy who is frustrated with losing.
Toronto hasn’t been a contender since 2020.
“Talent by itself is just not good enough,” VanVleet said. “You know, you’ve still got to do everything right every single day. You’ve got to be able to play as a team. You have to be able to execute and close out games. Like, there’s so many other things that go into it. We could have no talent, so let’s start there. We could be in a situation where we don’t have talent. But like I said, we’ve just got to continue to find ways to be better as a group and do something with the talent that we have.”
VanVleet will turn 30 during the 2023-24 season. If the Suns are interested in signing the Illinois native, they will have to move on from Paul, who is one of the best players in NBA history but is no longer in his prime.