According to ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday, the Houston Rockets decided to reject Fred VanVleet's $44.9 million team option for the 2025/26 season. They have reached a two-year, $50 million contract extension with VanVleet's agent Rich Paul, which includes a player option for the 2026/27 season.

This contract extension not only retains a certain salary space for the Rockets in the short term, but also provides VanVleet with more initiative to fight for better treatment in 2026. However, both parties are currently interested in continuing cooperation after two years.

The 31-year-old VanVleet mainly plays as a point guard and won the 2019 NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors. He joined the Rockets as a free agent in July 2023 and helped the team improve from 22 wins to 41 wins in his first season.

In the 2024/25 season, VanVleet played in 60 regular season games, averaging 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game, with a shooting percentage of 37.8% and a three-point shooting percentage of 34.5%. In the playoffs, he played a total of 7 times, averaging 18.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.0 steals per game, with a shooting percentage of 43.0% and a three-point shooting percentage of 43.5%. Although the Rockets eventually lost to the Warriors and stopped in the first round, VanVleet is still regarded as an important part of the team's future.