Fred VanVleet Is A Potential James Harden Replacement For The 76ers, Says NBA Insider

The Philadelphia 76ers have lost in the second round once again this season, and there's no doubt that the team will undergo some changes this off-season. They need to build a better squad to become a true championship contender.

There have been some rumors that James Harden might leave the 76ers, and he has notably been linked to the Houston Rockets. It seems as though the team has already identified a replacement for him, with the team reportedly looking at Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

"Harden owns a $35.64 million player option for the 2023-24 season that many around the league are anticipating him opting out of. Leaving the Sixers after just one full season and signing elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent is a very real possibility for Harden, which is why Philadelphia has begun giving thought as to who could replace the former league MVP. According to league sources close to the organization, Raptors All-Star guard Fred VanVleet has emerged as a potential replacement for Harden this offseason."

Fred VanVleet is a quality point guard, and he is also a veteran who has championship experience. Though he is not quite as good as James Harden, he would be a quality addition for the Philadelphia 76ers.

This season, Fred VanVleet averaged 19.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 7.2 APG  for the Toronto Raptors. He is a 3PT specialist and solid floor general and would be a good fit with Joel Embiid on the 76ers.

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Fred VanVleet Reportedly Turned Down An Extension Offer From The Toronto Raptors Before The 2022-23 Season

There is no doubt that Fred VanVleet is confident that he will receive good offers in this year's free agency. In fact, it was previously reported that he turned down a contract extension from the Toronto Raptors before the 2022-23 season.

"Prior to the start of the season, VanVleet turned down a contract extension valued at roughly $114 million, the maximum Toronto could offer at the time, according to a source. He’s eligible to sign an extension up to that value until the end of the campaign, but considering he can make more in free agency and he literally wears the mantra “Bet on Yourself” across his chest, it’s not a surprise that he would prefer to let his current deal expire before negotiating a new one."

It will be interesting to see which team ends up landing Fred VanVleet. Besides the Philadelphia 76ers, he has also been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers, and it is clear that a number of teams are ready to try and acquire his services in free agency.

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