Raptors a Team to Watch for Gabe Vincent Should Fred VanVleet Walk, per Report

The Toronto Raptors are said to be a team to watch as a landing spot for Gabe Vincent should Fred VanVleet walk in free agency this summer

Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

So what happens if Fred VanVleet does walk in free agency?

Keep an eye on Gabe Vincent as a potential target of the Toronto Raptors, according to Yahoo’s Jake Fischer, should VanVleet sign elsewhere. A VanVleet departure would create a glaring hole in Toronto’s backcourt and leave the Raptors with enough space to use the mid-level exception on someone like Vincent.

Vincent, 27, would be a significant step down from VanVleet, albeit on a much smaller contract. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 9.4 points on 40.2% shooting with a 33.4% three-point stroke before breaking out in the playoffs. He played a key role for the Miami Heat in the post-season, nailing 37.8% of his threes while averaging 12.7 points per game.

Miami is said to value Vincent at roughly $10 million per season, Fischer wrote, meaning Toronto could, in theory, sign him with the $12.4 million mid-level exceptions should VanVleet depart.

The Raptors are unlikely to have access to the mid-level exception if VanVleet and Jakob Poeltl do return to Toronto. They team is expected to be right up against the $165 million luxury tax threshold unless a cost-saving trade is made. The Raptors could free up enough space by moving some combination of Chris Boucher, Otto Porter Jr., or Gary Trent Jr. to open up the mid-level exception. 

Further Reading

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