Raptors: Trading Kyle Lowry has plenty of pros and cons

Kyle Lowry has been one of the most influential players in Toronto Raptors franchise history, but he is starting to show that he is past his prime. The Raptors have a 7-10 record after the first portion of the season, which does put them in the race for a playoff spot, but should Toronto even be gunning for the postseason?

Lowry could help the Raptors in the short-term, as he is still a quality scorer and distributor, but is that the best option for Toronto as we look towards the future? Let’s examine what he offers Toronto right now and if trading him is really the most prudent option.

Trading Kyle Lowry has some benefits for the Toronto Raptors, but also some huge drawbacks

Lowry gives Toronto veteran leadership, in addition to scoring and passing

Lowry remains a solid shooter, the master of drawing charges, an excellent rebounder, and a quality distributor. Despite all of that, his best asset is one that does not show up in the stat sheet.

Lowry has always provided the team with some excellent veteran leadership, becoming a key factor in the development of OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Norman Powell. If the team chooses to keep him around for the remainder of the season, he will be able to help the newer guards of the team in Terence Davis and Malachi Flynn.

The question here is whether or not his veteran leadership outweighs the potential benefits of having some extra draft capital. The Raptors could mimic what the Oklahoma City Thunder did last season, and have Lowry be the leader of the team in order to teach the younger players how to win, much like how Chris Paul performed in that role. Does that outweigh what they could get in a trade?