Knicks Rumors: Fred VanVleet Expected to Draw Interest from NY in Free Agency

Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and one of the top players on the market. 

One team expected to have interest in his services are the New York Knicks, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. With likely over $50 million in cap space, the Knicks will be in position to offer VanVleet a major payday. 

The 26-year-old was excellent in the 2019-20 season, averaging 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 39.0 percent from three. He's a major reason why the Toronto Raptors, despite losing Kawhi Leonard in free agency, still finished as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and advanced to the conference semifinals, where they trail the Boston Celtics 2-0. 

He's also going to get paid, either by Toronto or another team.

The fourth-year guard out of Wichita State will arguably be the top unrestricted free agent on the market, assuming Anthony Davis returns to the Los Angeles Lakers. Other players to watch this summer include Brandon Ingram (restricted), DeMar DeRozan (player option), Montrezl Harrell (unrestricted), Andre Drummond (player option), Danilo Gallinari (unrestricted) and Mike Conley Jr. (early termination option). 

It's not the most star-studded list, especially considering that Ingram seems likely to return to New Orleans. That means a vibrant market for VanVleet could form, with ESPN's Brian Windhorst reporting in August that he could fetch more than $20 million per year on the market:

"Toronto is expected to be aggressive when VanVleet hits unrestricted free agency. VanVleet is a core piece of the team's future with Lowry on the back nine of his career.

"League executives believe the four-year, $85 million deal Malcolm Brogdon got from the Indiana Pacers last summer will set the market for VanVleet. Though it took a big offer in a healthier NBA economy to pry Brogdon away from the Milwaukee Bucks, who had matching rights, VanVleet is expected to have suitors.

"The Detroit Pistons and Dwane Casey, who used to coach VanVleet in Toronto, opened a swath of cap space when trading Andre Drummond earlier this year. The Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks, two teams with cap space that could use a combo guard who can play on or off the ball, also are possible options."

So the Knicks—who desperately need to upgrade at the guard position but may struggle to do so in the draft after getting only the No. 8 overall pick—will have competition for VanVleet's services.