Toronto Raptors: All 3 possible outcomes for Kyle Lowry this season

Kyle Lowry is entering the one-year deal of his contract and the Toronto Raptors have to decide what they’ll want to do with him this season.

Before you say anything, yes, I love Lowry and wouldn’t want to trade him for anything. His number will be on a banner one day and he is the best and most storied Toronto Raptors player of all time. He went from being a player no team really wanted, to one of the best point guards of our era.

However, one thing that stops every player one day is age. And given his age (34), contract situation, and the current landscape of the NBA next season –Durant and Irving back from injury on the Nets. It would be a difficult feat for the Raptors to be legit title contenders.

This is something that may sway a Masai Ujiri to trade him for assets while he’s still very valuable. But there are also other possibilities to choose from if your Masai and the Toronto Raptors.

1. Trade Lowry if the Toronto Raptors struggle during the season

More than likely, the Raptors will run it back with the current squad. Perhaps there’s a chance they swing for the fences (Oladipo?) on a star player this offseason but that seems like a necessary risky move to make.

So let’s say the Toronto Raptors do run it back and look like they are struggling during the season, I do see a world where Masai entertains the idea of trading Kyle Lowry to a contender while he still can get assets. This would benefit both parties as Lowry plays for a contender and the Raptors get whatever asset they can get.

Lowry is coming off on one of his best-ever playoff performances, showing that he’ll do whatever it takes to win. Hitting clutch shot after clutch shot against the Boston Celtics. He also has had a great regular season despite being 34 and showing no signs of decline yet. The addition of Lowry would increase any team’s chances at the championship, and would certainly net the Raptors a hefty return.

2. Run it all the way back

Lowry is currently on a one-year deal worth $30,500,000 that sees him through the 2020-2021 season. He’ll be 35 years old when he becomes a UFA and more than likely be on a decline. I doubt the Toronto Raptors re-sign him anywhere near that amount, even if it’s a 15-20 million deal for one year.

This can mean that the Toronto Raptors can lose Lowry for nothing in the 2021 free agency unless there’s a world Giannis Antetokounmpo signs here and Lowry settles for a much cheaper contract. Lowry would have a real chance to compete for a title and have a solid chance to retire as a Raptors player.

If they strike out on the signing of Giannis and fail to get any other star, Lowry most likely walks and the Toronto Raptors most likely initiate a mini rebuild.

3. Have Lowry retire as a Toronto Raptors player

Surely the scenario some Raptors fan may want the most. The possibility of Kyle Lowry retiring as  Toronto Raptors player. They have yet to have the kind of interaction with any of their long-tenured players and may want to have a moment similar to what Nowitzki had with the Dallas Mavericks, or Wade had with the Heat.

It would certainly be a lukewarm idea for many Raptors fans, especially after going through break-ups with Vince Carter, Chris Bosh, and even DeMar DeRozan. Having Lowry finish his career in Toronto would certainly be a nice thing and give Raptors fan the ability to finally have proper closure with one of their players for once in their franchise.

Nonetheless, he’ll be the first-ever Raptors players to have his number retired regardless of any of the three outcomes.