Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet has responded to recent news reports about a potential contract extension in his direction this summer.
A pair of reports — one each TSN’s Josh Lewenberg In another article by Sportsnet’s Michael Grange, VanVleet discussed a possible four-year contract extension signed with the Raptors this summer.
“Before the start of the season, VanVleet turned down a contract extension worth about $114 million, which sources said was the maximum Toronto could offer at the time,” Rubenberg wrote in an article on Saturday. increase.
Grange confirmed Levenberg’s report in a tweet, but added that there was a “mutual decision to wait without discussing a deadline,” according to a source.
We can confirm that Fred VanVleet was offered a four-year extension for $114 million before the season. Sources said the offer was not “rejected,” but “a mutual decision to wait without discussing a deadline.” @JLew1050 first time.
— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) January 8, 2023
But VanVleet added the mutual nature of not signing a deal was made at the end of Sunday’s postgame press conference after Toronto’s 117-105 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. In a statement, it disputed some of the reports.
VanVleet says he never received a formal offer from the front office over the summer. #birds of prey pic.twitter.com/XHi8ZU1Vsd
— Lindsay Dunn (@LindsayDunnTV) January 8, 2023
“I never received a formal offer,” VanVleet told media outlets. “It was a mutual decision made by both sides that the wise thing to do is wait.”
VanVleet added that the leak did not come from his campaign.
“I’m not going to talk about free agency or contract negotiations or specifically conversations between me and management. So it certainly didn’t come from me,” VanVleet said.
Lewenberg’s report discusses the veteran guard’s season of ups and downs in a larger article titled “Raptors Failing VanVleet, Not Vice Versa.”
“I know it’s time to take two sentences from an article and tweet them, but all of a sudden last night I got 300 messages out of 114 million,” VanVleet said. “It’s not. So it’s a little misleading. And, you know, I’m disappointed that it came out. I don’t want it to be a distraction.”
VanVleet is in year three of a four-year, $80 million deal with a player option next summer. The maximum he can sign this season is $114 million, but if he opts out of next year’s player option, he’ll be eligible for a bigger deal in Toronto or elsewhere.
“I was able to sign a contract extension until the end of the season, so I was in no rush. Take my word for it,” said VanVleet.
VanVleet has spent his entire career in Toronto after being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2016.
“I love being a bird of prey,” VanVleet said in an exclusive interview with the Daily Hive in the offseason. I have a great relationship with…it’s been heaven for me.I love being a Toronto Raptor.”
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