Toronto Raptors: 3 reasons re-signing Fred VanVleet is a good move

3. He plays well with the starters

There were plenty of things to watch with the Raptors on their way to a franchise-record 59 wins this past season. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan continued their All-Star level of play, while the entire squad shared the ball with a purpose not present in past seasons.

Another thing of notice, though, was their lineup in the closing minutes of tightly contested games. More often than not, Fred VanVleet was present, slotted next to Toronto’s All-Star backcourt.

This wasn’t by accident. Although he doesn’t put up eye-popping numbers, VanVleet was an invaluable member of the team, even while playing with the starters, giving them another ball-handler that could penetrate and facilitate.

According to Basketball-Reference, the five-man unit of VanVleet, DeRozan, Lowry, Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas was the 28th-best in the league in plus-minus, a testament to VanVleet’s ability to mesh with everyone on the roster.

With VanVleet back in the fold, it solidifies their go-to lineup in the final minutes, one that was a key reason for their success in 2018.