Fred VanVleet picks his next NBA team

Mar 1, 2020; Denver, Colorado, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet (23) before the game against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Right Said Fred is getting his payday.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Friday that veteran point guard Fred VanVleet has agreed on a three-year free agent contract with the Houston Rockets. The deal is worth a big-time $130 million and stands as the NBA’s first max contract of the summer.

That is an amazing come-up for VanVleet, who was undrafted out of Wichita State in 2016 but worked hard over the last seven seasons to develop into a top NBA point guard. VanVleet won a title with the Raptors in 2019 and went on to become an All-Star in 2022. Now he can say that he is a max player as well.

The 29-year-old VanVleet is a very steady hand at the wheel who can go for 20 points and 10 assists on any given night. He should help forge a strong identity for what has been a very rudderless young Rockets team over the last several seasons. Another well-known veteran player may be right on VanVleet’s tail in signing with Houston too.