The Toronto Raptors have agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal with free agent Fred VanVleet, according to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.
Restricted free agent Fred VanVleet has agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal to return to Toronto, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2018
VanVleet and agent Brian Jungreis met with the Raptors in Chicago Sunday morning to finalize the agreement, according to the report.
Other teams expressed interest in his services, including the Phoenix Suns, but VanVleet ultimately opted to stay in a comfortable and competitive environment in Toronto. The Raptors were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last season after posting a 59-23 record.
VanVleet, a Wichita State product, went unselected in the 2016 NBA Draft. He was a finalist for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award this past season, averaging 8.6 points and 3.2 assists in 76 games with the club. This upcoming season will be his third campaign in the NBA.
He originally signed with the Raptors after going undrafted in 2016, making several trips from the G League to the active roster during his first campaign while earning less than $2 million combined. VanVleet will provide depth for a Raptors team looking to rebound from a 4-0 sweep to the Cleveland Cavaliers in May, playing back-up to All-Stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar Derozan.
