Raptors: Trading Kyle Lowry has plenty of pros and cons

Lowry could net a pretty package of picks

The Raptors have a young core who are only now entering their prime. Siakam and Fred VanVleet are both 26, Anunoby is 23, and Powell is 27 years old. Lowry, being 34 years old, unfortunately, doesn’t fit the timeline that this core’s prime would compete in. It may be smart to trade Lowry now and get some assets for him, as he might try to go to a contending team in free agency and leave Toronto with nothing.

The Raptors are in need of a center at the moment. Toronto’s two-game series against the Indiana Pacers proved that the Raptors’ guard depth is very strong, meaning that the team could start VanVleet and Powell as they contend for a playoff spot. Defensively, the current core of the team without Lowry and Siakam was able to shut down Domantas Sabonis and hold him to just ten points in a win, showing that they can still lock down star bigs and guards without him.

The team could also use draft capital acquired in a trade in order to land another big-time player. While the Raptors did not choose to overpay for James Harden, but maybe another player will be placed on the trade block for a much more affordable price than what Brooklyn paid.