NBA Rumors: Fred VanVleet Would Be ‘All-Purpose Free-Agency Target’ For Knicks In 2020 Offseason
Since being undrafted in the summer of 2016, Toronto Raptors shooting guard Fred VanVleet continues to prove that he belongs in the NBA. After receiving a starting role and more playing time with the Raptors this season, VanVleet has shown a massive improvement in his statistics, averaging 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from beyond the arc. With his impressive performance on both ends of the floor, several teams are expected to express a strong interest in obtaining VanVleet’s services when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason. One of those teams should be the New York Knicks.
In his recent article, Dan Favale of Bleacher Report created a list of “ambitious” 2020 free-agent targets for every team in the league. For the Knicks, Favale believes VanVleet would be the “all-purpose free-agency target.”
“Fred VanVleet is the New York Knicks’ all-purpose free-agency target. They can justify shelling out to sign him whether they’re slow-playing a rebuild or angling for the ever-elusive instant turnaround. He’s clearly a better fit for the latter, but at 26, he hasn’t yet aged out of fitting inside a gradual reset.”
Compared to the previous offseason when they aggressively pursued legitimate superstars in the trade and free-agency market, there would be some changes to the Knicks’ plan this summer under the leadership of Leon Rose, who replaced Steve Mills as the team’s president of basketball operations. Instead of targeting any big name available on the market, the Knicks are expected to focus on players that complement RJ Barrett, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
When it comes to building a team around Barrett, the Knicks should prioritize adding players that can space the floor — this is where VanVleet would be ideal. VanVleet is a career 39.2 percent three-point shooter who is also capable of excelling without the ball in his hands. At 26, VanVleet is still a good fit with the Knicks’ rebuilding plan and experienced enough to help the team end their playoff drought.
The Knicks’ chances of acquiring VanVleet in free agency depend on how much they are willing to spend for the 26-year-old shooting guard. When they failed to land their top targets last summer, the Knicks purposely filled their roster with one-year contracts to maintain their salary cap flexibility for the summer of 2020. However, though he believes in what VanVleet could contribute to the Knicks, Favale is strongly advising against giving him a max contract this summer. Favale suggested that a four-year contract worth $76 to $80 million would already be a “good place to start” for the Knicks in their potential pursuit of VanVleet this offseason.
