There also remains the small possibility that VanVleet has played his final game in a Rockets uniform. VanVleet has played the last two seasons in Houston after spending the first

Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said Tuesday at his end-of-season press conference that he was "very optimistic" about veteran guard Fred VanVleet returning to the team next year. But how that would look is currently unclear.

Fred VanVleet isn't just Houston's starting point guard for the last two seasons. He is the team's unquestioned leader, a playmaker on the floor, and a focused, steady presence in the locker room and on the road. While VanVleet's metrics leave much to be desired, his intangibles are unmatched.