Raptors: 3 Kyle Lowry trades that send him to the Heat, Clippers, and 76ers
By Mike Luciano
Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors can’t seem to squash the Kyle Lowry trade rumors, as the Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Clippers are all interested in acquiring the veteran floor general, with the 76ers in particular high on Lowry’s list of potential destinations.
Lowry is averaging 17.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game this season, but there are reasons the Raptors could deal him despite the fact they are firmly in the playoff picture. Not only is Fred VanVleet the designated point guard of the future, but Lowry is about to turn 35 years old and will be a free agent at the end of this season.
As good as the Raptors are, it would be foolish to declare them a championship contender right now. With Miami finally healthy, Los Angeles possessing plenty of star power, and Philadelphia at the top of the East, they could give the Raptors a quality return in exchange for Lowry.
If the Raptors can get over the mental block that comes with trading Lowry away, one of these three trade packages could set Toronto up nicely for the short and long term.
These 3 Kyle Lowry trades could get the Raptors a nice return
Kyle Lowry trade No. 1: The Raptors get established veteran talent back
While trading with the Heat sounds impossible due to their lack of draft capital over the next few seasons, Miami has plenty of quality pieces to part with, even if Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro are staying put. This deal gets the Raptors an immediate Lowry replacement with a player option for next year and a big that can add some rebounding and size.
Dragic, who has a player option for next season, is another 34-year-old point guard, albeit one averaging 14.4 points and 5.2 assists per game. Olynyk, a native of Kamloops, is averaging 10.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on 42 percent shooting this season. The Heat only have one first-rounder between now and 2024, but they might be willing to part with that.
Why would this Kyle Lowry trade work for the Raptors?
The Raptors are lacking depth in a few key areas, especially behind Lowry at point guard and behind whoever is the starting center. This fixes those problems in emphatic, reassuring fashion while still allowing Lowry to play out the final year of his contract with a Heat team looking to defend their conference championship.
The Heat have shown that unless there is a player they are absolutely sold on, they will trade picks for vets. That attitude might improve Toronto’s draft position in 2022, all the while getting them a potential starting center and point guard in exchange for a player who could’ve left in free agency anyway.