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Toronto Raptors: Is Fred VanVleet ready for a starting role?

By Jordan Skuse

TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 30: Kyle Lowry #7 and Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors high five during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves January 30, 2018 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 30: Kyle Lowry #7 and Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors high five during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves January 30, 2018 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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As long as he remains a Toronto Raptor, Kyle Lowry starts, but is Fred VanVleet ready to take over in the event of Lowry’s departure?

Has Kyle Lowry quit on the Toronto Raptors? Premature of me to ask such a loaded question, but considering Lowry’s uninspiring demeanor at USA Basketball’s minicamp at the end of July, my gut tells me something isn’t right with the much-beloved backcourt bulldog.

Since his best friend DeMar DeRozan was traded to San Antonio, many have wondered if Lowry would follow him out the proverbial door. At this point, it appears unlikely that Lowry will be dealt. However if Masai and general manager Bobby Webster did find a willing suitor for Lowry, the organization remains in a very enviable position, even if that deal did not include a starting point guard in return.

Bet on Fred

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Fred VanVleet, 24, burst onto the NBA scene in 2017-18 — receiving a handful of votes for the Sixth Man of the Year award in the process. Like Lowry, VanVleet’s play and stats are objectively impressive and while Lowry, 32, is a better all-around player at the present moment, one could argue that, given age and overall mileage, he’s trending downwards. VanVleet, however, is only getting better with time.

So what if the former Shocker went undrafted or if he lacks elite foot speed?

Fred VanVleet is a talented, intelligent, and crafty point guard whose on-court performance says far more about his NBA potential than his draft position does. — He is an undeniable winner, a fearless and relentless competitor who expects nothing to be handed to him. Fred VanVleet, in a lot of ways, is similar to Kyle Lowry.

Taking nothing away from what Lowry has done for the Toronto Raptors, but he’s always been a ticking time bomb of sorts, willing and able to POP OFF at the drop of a pin. While I may be an offseason early in my prediction, the idea of parting ways with the team’s longtime “engine” should be taken far more seriously than diehard fans may want to admit.

Similar Players, Similar Seasons

Comparing Lowry and VanVleet’s 2017-18 seasons will leave most wondering what exactly I smoked before deciding to claim the two are essentially carbon copies of one another. However VanVleet’s per minute production is practically on par with Lowry’s. Both players have been valuable pieces to Toronto’s success, the team performing better when Lowry and/or VanVleet are on the court versus sitting on the bench:

VanVleet’s on/off numbers

Lowry’s on/off numbers

In a perfect world, Toronto would keep both whilst slowing the natural aging process in the case of #7. However, rather than hoping for the impossible, Toronto can be pro-active. If they are pro-active, 2018-19 might be Lowry’s final season with the Raptors.

If Lowry finds himself wearing a different jersey sooner rather than later, VanVleet profiles as the ideal heir to the point guard throne. Starting in the NBA has always been a goal of the overlooked native of Rockford, Illinois. It would appear VanVleet is but one bullish domino falling away from that opportunity being granted.

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This upcoming season marks the beginning of a new era for the Toronto Raptors — a new coach, a new [super]star player in Kawhi Leonard, and even a new name for their home venue, will give this team a much different identity and persona in 2018-19. As it stands right now, Kyle Lowry remains the team’s starting point guard.

Should anything change on that front, consider me a willing gambler that “Mr. Bet on Yourself”, Fred VanVleet, succeeds as Lowry’s successor.

Feel free to comment below on where you think Lowry stands with the team along with your assessment of the organization’s succession planning process for the point-guard position.

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