13. Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets
Cashing in on a big contract this offseason, it feels a bit weird to say that Fred VanVleet is a Houston Rocket now. Nevertheless, the former All-Star checks in at No. 13 in the second tier of point guards in the NBA. VanVleet is one of the better stories in league history as he went from being an undrafted player to making an All-Star Game in 2022. As he enters the second half of his NBA career, it’ll be interesting to see what type of role he embraces in Houston.
Brought in to be a veteran presence, you can’t help but wonder if this is the type of situation that’s going to invigorate VanVleet or if it’s going to work as a retirement spot before actual retirement. With as much talent as the Rockets have on their roster, VanVleet could be viewed as somewhat of a missing piece to expedite the rebuild. And I’d imagine, that’s the hope from Houston’s point of view.
Coming off somewhat of a down season in Toronto, I’m eager to see what type of year VanVleet has in Houston. At least on paper, he looks like a player who could thrive next to such a young team.