The Toronto Raptors have an important decision to make with Kyle Lowry this season. Trade him or keep him?
I’d rather see the Toronto Raptors keep Lowry, but I can understand the idea of trading an asset who is set to become an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA).
Even if the Raptors traded Lowry, or if he walked away as a UFA next off-season, his legacy doesn’t change. As soon as he retires, his #7 jersey will be forever hung in the rafters of Scotiabank Arena and a statue of him will sit outside. Since 2012, Lowry has been the heart and soul of this team and is the reason why they’re relevant.
From getting stuffed by the Brooklyn Nets at the rim in Game 7 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals to lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2019, Lowry has been through war in order to make the Raptors a reputable NBA franchise. The fans in Toronto have always been passionate, but it’s Lowry’s blue-collar work-ethic that has helped the fanbase grow into what it is today.
When you close your eyes and think of the Raptors, he’s the first name that pops up in your head. For some, it’s the image of him hitting a three, but for me, it’s of him taking a charge. He’s the king at drawing a foul and those plays change ball-games in an instant.
The 2021 off-season was supposed to be about pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo, so having contracts end before Free Agency was a must. However, now that the “Greek Freak” is unavailable, it’ll be interesting to see what the team does. Maybe the Raptors want to add around the current rotation again next year and run it back with Lowry, or maybe they want something fresh.
No matter what happens, I hope they treat the Lowry situation in a more professional manner than they did with DeRozan and if Lowry has to leave, it’s a mutual decision.
Let’s explore the leaving situation and figure out three teams the Raptors could make a deal with if they parted ways during the 2020-21 season.
#3. San Antonio Spurs
The trade:
I wrote about this rumor a few weeks ago and kind of love the idea of it. Here’s why.
A Lowry and DeRozan reunion wouldn’t make the Spurs a force in the Western Conference, but it sure would be a blast to watch. The two BFF’s didn’t get a proper send-off, as DeRozan was shipped out of town in an unexpected trade for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Obviously, it all worked out from the Raptors’ perspective, but Lowry was still hurt from that move.
The two players had developed a bond bigger than basketball. They had truly become best friends and wanted to keep running it back in Toronto, being the duo that brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy north. For the first time in Raptors history, two superstars actually loved playing in Toronto and wanted to keep playing there until they got the job done and won a championship.
After watching the opening night loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, it was clear that they could use an upgrade at the center position. Aaron Baynes was a minus-17 on the night and is clearly the weakest player in the starting-five. Bringing in Aldridge would instantly upgrade the ‘Five’ position and the rotation could look something like this: Fred VanVleet (PG), Norman Powell (SG), OG Anunoby (SF), Pascal Siakam (PF), LaMarcus Aldridge (C).
The bench would obviously suffer from having to move Powell to the starting line-up, but that’s a nice rotation. Aldridge has a lot to prove heading into a contract year, so he’d be a great addition, meanwhile, a Lowry/DeRozan reunion would be a welcomed sight.
#2. Houston Rockets
The trade:
It’s hard to think that anyone would want to trade for James Harden right now, but then you remember just how talented he is. For the past eight years, Harden has yet to average less than 25 points per game in a full season. In the past two seasons alone, he’s averaged 34.3 and 36.1 points per game.
The 2017-18 MVP is worth trading for, despite the antics that have been going in on Houston. He may have never helped lead a team to the NBA Finals (was a six-man during OKC Thunder’s trip to Finals), but he’s been close. With multiple Western Conference Finals losses, Harden is only a few buckets short of reaching the top of the mountain.
So, why would the Raptors make this deal in the first place? Why would you want to take on a guy who’s causing issues with his current team and seems like a potential cancer in the locker room? Well, he’s amazing at basketball and it’s all about winning in the NBA. Even if you had to give up Lowry and Siakam in this trade, Harden would instantly make the Raptors a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference.
VanVleet and Harden would make an unbelievable back-court and with the addition of “The Beard,” you’d probably be able to acquire a cheap veteran near the Trade Deadline to team up with him. Superstar talent attracts other talents in the NBA so by acquiring Harden, it could lead to a few more additions.
#1. Denver Nuggets
The trade:
This trade may be a stretch, but the Denver Nuggets are in a win-now mode. Porter Jr. is the third option behind Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, but he’s not a superstar. If the Nuggets want to win the NBA Championship, they need another star.
Even though the Nuggets made the Western Conference Finals last year, that was unprecedented. They obviously deserved to be there, but it wasn’t something that many predicted would happen. Even though they had a great duo in Murray and Jokic, they seemed one piece away from being a real contender. That’s where Kyle Lowry fits in perfectly for them.
Murray and Lowry may both be point-guards, but Lowry has no issue jumping into the shooting guard position beside Murray. Lowry and VanVleet have been doing this with the Raptors already, so it would be an easy transition for him. Obviously, Porter Jr. leaving would be a blow to the organization, but Will Barton could fill in and be the everyday Shooting Forward, making the Nuggets starting-five deadly.
Lowry’s experience would also be huge for the young Nuggets team. For the Toronto Raptors, they would be getting a young piece who could fit right into the starting line-up and provide some offense that would be missed by Lowry.