Last dance?

Raptors head into season with VanVleet’s future up in air

By the depth of his personality, his talents on the basketball court and his willingness to accept responsibility for what he’s become, Fred VanVleet has emerged as the face, the leader and the heartbeat of the Raptors.

He may not have the foot speed of some of his teammates, or their jumping ability or athleticism, but the 28-year-old guard is The Man. There is no question about it.

He arrives for his sixth season at a bit of a crossroads, though.

He’s eligible for a contract extension, and could force the issue if he wants. But it isn’t his style to negotiate in public. He will remain steadfast in his belief in himself and — perhaps more important to the team’s fans — comfortable in the only NBA surroundings he’s known.

“I will just say that I love being a Raptor,” VanVleet said Monday as the team kicked off the 2022-23 season with media day at a ritzy lakefront hotel, a precursor to training camp that begins Tuesday in Victoria. “I have a great relationship with management, ownership, coaching staff. There’s nothing I could really ever complain about being on this team.

“But I’m not going to speak on contractual things, so you guys will know when it’s time to know. I’m happy with where I am, and I think it’s a mutual love.”

Masai Ujiri, the team’s vice-chair, said the Raptors have had “good conversations” with VanVleet and his representation.

“Whether it’s now or later on, Fred is beloved to us and his progress as a basketball player, as a leader and within the community, is incredible,” Ujiri said. “We will figure out (his contract) in time. These are not things we discuss publicly, but I think we are in a good place.”

There are certainly options in VanVleet’s contractual situation, and they will factor into what does or doesn’t get done before the end of this season.

He could opt out of the 2023-24 year on his current deal, worth about $21 million (U.S.) this season and almost $23 million the next. That would allow VanVleet and the Raptors to negotiate with no deadline.

But an extension without opting out would have to be signed before the Oct. 18 start of the regular season, bringing a sense of urgency to training camp and the pre-season.

There are pros and cons to each: Signing an extension now would guarantee VanVleet four more years of a lucrative salary, and he’d be just 32 years old when it expires; waiting to see what other teams might offer could earn him more money, but with risk and uncertainty.

“I don’t see myself as an old player, and I’m certainly not old in terms of the role that I have,” VanVleet said. “I’m not really going to speak on the contract things, you know, the terms of those details. But just where I am on his team, I feel great. I feel like I could fit here, and I know my value and what I bring to the table.”

There’s no right or wrong answer, and it’s clear that negotiations have begun and will remain private.

One thing that’s not in dispute is VanVleet’s role with this group.

He’s the voice. He’s been here his entire career, thrived under the Raptors system and emerged as the face of the franchise, following in the footsteps of Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Damon Stoudamire, Antonio Davis, Vince Carter and Chris Bosh.

VanVleet’s story is familiar: undrafted, the “bet on yourself” kid who worked to become an all-star and NBA champion, work he took on willingly.

“I’m not sure that I was selected to be the face of the team, but I’m here. I’ve stuck around. I work extremely hard, and I’ve grown into some of these roles that I’ve acquired over the years,” he said.