3 Reasons Houston Rockets’ Fred VanVleet signing opens door for Kevin Porter Jr. trade

Leading up to the start of the NBA offseason, all the noise surrounding the Houston Rockets revolved around the idea that the team was going to make a big move to put them in a position where they could be competitive in the Western Conference this upcoming season.

For one reason or another, many believed that the Rockets impending big offseason move was going to revolve around the return of James Harden. Rockets'. However, as free agency inched closer and closer, that narrative (thankfully) quickly died.

Hours into the start of free agency, though, the Rockets' big move came to light - it was announced that Houston was signing Fred VanVleet to a three-year, $130 million contract. The Rockets have gone all-in with the 29-year-old VanVleet in hoping he could help push this young core to the next level.

The theoretical fit of Fred VanVleet on the Houston Rockets

In a vacuum, it's easy to see how the fit of VanVleet works. Even based on his "down" season a year ago, VanVleet automatically becomes the best playmaker the Rockets have on their roster at the moment. Dating back to last season, the need for a true table-setter was clear for the Rockets. VanVleet, on top of his scoring prowess, is able to provide that much-needed playmaking ability for this team's young scorers.

Money and outlook aside, there's a natural domino effect that the VanVleet signing will have on the rest of the roster. And one player that it impacts most is Kevin Porter Jr. There are a few reasons why the signing of VanVleet could indicate the beginning of the end for Porter in a Rockets uniform.