Fred VanVleet Calls Out Toronto Raptors’ ‘Bulls**t’ Offer During Free Agency
Veteran NBA guard Fred VanVleet recently revealed he had no intention of returning to the Toronto Raptors during the 2023 free agency period, despite the team extending a contract offer. Speaking on the ". Out the Mud" podcast, VanVleet stated that while he valued his time with the franchise, the Raptors’ initial offer fell short of what he considered a legitimate deal.
"I knew I didn’t really want to go back to Toronto," VanVleet said during the interview. "They didn’t really want me back, but it was like, again, I had the relationship. So it’s like they kind of wanted to make sure they put a respectable offer down, but they came with the bulls*** first."
VanVleet explained that the Houston Rockets ultimately presented what he described as "the real deal," which led to his decision to sign with the Texas-based team. He noted that the Raptors later returned with a revised offer, but by that point, his mind was already made up.
"So when Houston came with the real deal, this don’t nobody know it yet, soon as they said the number, my mind was made up," he added. "I don’t even supply a f what nobody talking about… Now you had official meetings and s like that. So I think that’s what was reported was the deal, but that was like before it actually happened. So then when I met with Toronto, they came with another deal like at the last minute like, ‘Yo, we going to offer you whatever we going to offer you.’ I’m like, ‘All right, bet.’"
Despite the candid remarks, VanVleet acknowledged the history he shared with the Raptors organization, where he played from 2016 to 2023 and won an NBA championship in 2019. He was too named an NBA All-Star in 2022 during his tenure in Toronto.
The guard emphasized that his decision was not rooted in animosity but rather in seeking a situation that aligned with his professional goals and market value. VanVleet has since continued his career with the Houston Rockets, where he signed in the 2023 offseason.
His comments shed light on the complexities of NBA free agency, particularly for players with long-standing ties to a franchise and how contract negotiations can influence final decisions even when emotional connections exist.