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?
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.
Lowry could be moved in a sign-and-trade
If the Raptors plan is to keep Lowry for this season, a sign-and-trade could be arranged for this upcoming offseason. He would definitely be a valuable asset for a contending team, and this would allow him to hopefully win another championship in his career. Perhaps the Raptors could get an enticing young player in return for Lowry, should a contender get desperate enough.
Teams usually don’t get the same value out of a sign-and-trade deal as they would for a normal trade, but this would be a fine “best of both worlds” situation for the Raptors. They would get this entire year out of Lowry, and then they would be able to get some assets for him as well.
While the Raptors have a lot of potential paths to head down with regards to Lowry, they must be careful what path they choose. The team can try to compete this season, and resign him over the summer in order to compete next as well, or they can trade him and kickstart a rebuild around Siakam, Anunoby, Powell, and Boucher.
The end of a superstar’s reign is always a tricky proposition for a front office, but Toronto has plenty of different directions to go in.
Raptors: Grading Nick Nurse after first month of the season
Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse has been making some solid adjustments after a rough beginning to the 2020-21 season