Point guard Fred VanVleet, a free agent, and the Houston Rockets have agreed to a hefty three-year, $130 million deal. Richard Jefferson, an ESPN commentator, and former NBA champion, is perplexed by the difference in contract values between VanVleet and Kyrie Irving during the same period.
Jefferson voiced his surprise and shock that VanVleet’s deal eclipsed Irving’s in the free agency market during an edition of ESPN’s The NBA Today. Basketball analysts have been debating and discussing the divergent deal amounts, which has increased interest in the summer player acquisitions.
Jefferson puzzled by Fred VanVleet’s lucrative contract
In the first few days of NBA free agency, numerous players signed big-money deals, including Kyrie Irving going to the Dallas Mavericks and Fred VanVleet joining the Houston Rockets. Richard Jefferson, an ESPN commentator, and former NBA champion, was shocked by the disparity between VanVleet’s three-year, $130 million contract and Irving’s $126 million contract over the same time frame. During an episode of ESPN’s The NBA Today, Jefferson voiced his surprise while pointing out VanVleet’s increased value on the free agent market.
Fred VanVleet – 3yrs/130M – HOU
Kyrie Irving – 3yr/126M – DALWho saw FVV demanding a higher salary on the open market than Kyrie?!
🤯🤯🤯 #NBAFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/NKF4DmCE6N— Down To The Wire 513 (@DTTW513) July 1, 2023
“I still find it mind-blowing that he made more money in free agency than Kyrie Irving did. You know, because Fred is a building block for what I think the Houston Rockets are trying to do,” stated Jefferson.
With a career-high 7.2 assists, 19.3 points, and 3.7 three-pointers made per game the previous season, the guard, who was just entering his peak, demonstrated his abilities. According to Jefferson, his presence won’t impede the growth of Houston’s young players because of his ability to play under control and provide the scorers with timely feeds. VanVleet’s perseverance, tenacity, and dedication to locating the ideal shot were also highlighted by the ESPN analyst.
Furthermore, Amen Thompson, the Rockets’ fourth-round draught selection, who plays point guard for the Overtime Elite program, is anticipated to benefit greatly from VanVleet’s presence. Jefferson emphasized the value of the guard’s mentorship, stating, “You add Thompson, who is a young playmaker. Now you have an NBA vet that will say, ‘No, no, no, that’s not what you do. Here, this is how you set him up. Here, this is how you run a pick and roll.’ So the timetable, the knowledge, and basketball IQ of all the young players just went up.”
VanVleet’s leadership, experience, and championship past are anticipated to be a huge asset to the squad given that the Rockets are one of the youngest in the league. Even if it is possible that Houston overpaid for his talents, the deal was nevertheless worthwhile due to his capacity to immediately meet a variety of team demands.
Kyrie Irving NBA salary with Mavs
That Luka Doncic will always have an All-Star teammate at his side is made certain by Kyrie Irving’s choice to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks. Irving and the Mavericks have come to terms on a new contract, which is said to be for $126 million over three years with a player option for the third year. After being traded from the Brooklyn Nets, where he had exercised his $37 million player option to stay under contract, Irving ended himself in Dallas. Irving will receive up to $42 million yearly under the new contract.
Despite having little time to gel as a team with Doncic, Irving showed off his skills in the 20 games he appeared in for the Mavs, averaging 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. Despite their best efforts, the squad finished 11th in the fiercely tough Western Conference, missing out on the playoffs. Dallas hopes to strengthen their elite players’ chemistry and compete at a higher level in the conference with Irving back.
