Title: Fred VanVleet mock free-agency negotiation: A bet on himself is about to pay off
Date: October 13, 2020
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I conducted a mock free agency negotiation for Fred VanVleet to see where his market may land this offseason.
Fred VanVleet has bet on himself again and again. Attending a smaller school after being under-recruited. Suggesting teams don’t use a second-round pick on him so he could control his destination as an undrafted free agent. Re-signing for just two years so he could hit unrestricted free agency as early as possible.
Let it ride. Keep on betting. Keep eyes on the more meaningful return.
VanVleet now finds himself near the top of the list of pending free agents. No, the timing isn’t particularly great, in retrospect — amid a pandemic, VanVleet will have only a few suitors who hold meaningful cap flexibility and a long-term need at point guard. Still, there’s hardly a bad time for a raise, and those sitting across from VanVleet at the negotiating table in November and December will have to be aware of two things: VanVleet knows his worth, and he’s not afraid to bet on himself again if necessary.
That was the message I tried to get across to four colleagues as I (Blake Murphy) settled into the role of VanVleet’s representatives recently.
Blake Murphy Sports Writing 