Fred VanVleet Joins Rockets in NBA Free Agency While Gabe Vincent Signs with Lakers, Reports Inquirer Sports

Fred VanVleet agrees to a three-year, $130 million deal with the Houston Rockets.

Fred VanVleet, known for his mantra of "betting on yourself," has made a lucrative move to the Houston Rockets in free agency. While other big names like Kyrie Irving and Draymond Green stayed with their respective teams, VanVleet decided to embark on a new journey with the Rockets. According to sources, he agreed to a three-year deal worth around $130 million. This means that VanVleet will earn approximately $525,000 per game over the next three seasons, nearly matching his rookie salary in Toronto. The Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum expressed his support for VanVleet's big payday on Twitter.

But VanVleet wasn't the only player making moves on the opening night of free agency. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic will team up again in Dallas, while Draymond Green and Khris Middleton will continue their pursuit of championships with the Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively. Jerami Grant also secured a significant deal to stay in Portland, ensuring the Trail Blazers' star Damian Lillard remains content. The flurry of decisions on Friday night resulted in approximately $1.5 billion in deals within the first few hours of free agency.

Irving agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract to stay with the Mavericks, who made it clear that retaining him was their top priority. Grant secured a $160 million, five-year deal, while Kyle Kuzma signed a $102 million, four-year contract with the Washington Wizards. Draymond Green's new contract with the Warriors will pay him $100 million over four seasons. Middleton, Johnson, and Jones also inked significant deals to remain with their respective teams.

The reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, suffered a loss in free agency as Bruce Brown decided to join the Indiana Pacers on a two-year contract. The Miami Heat also saw Gabe Vincent leave for the Los Angeles Lakers, while Kevin Love and Josh Richardson stayed with the Eastern Conference champion Heat. Paolo Banchero, the Rookie of the Year, will have Joe Ingles as his new teammate in Orlando, and Tre Jones will join the San Antonio Spurs alongside No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama. In response to VanVleet's departure, the Toronto Raptors swiftly filled their point guard position by agreeing to a two-year, $26 million deal with Dennis Schroder.

The NBA confirmed the financial details for the upcoming season, with the salary cap set at $136.021 million, the highest in league history. The tax level is $165.294 million, and all teams must commit to at least $122.418 million in salaries. The league also outlined various salary thresholds and mid-level exceptions for teams. While most deals cannot be finalized until July 6, the excitement and anticipation of free agency have already set the stage for an eventful NBA offseason.

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