The Toronto Raptors not only have had to deal with a 2-8 start, playing the entire season in Tampa, and the fact that several key team members have been held out of game action due to the league’s health and safety protocols, but they’ve had to deal with constant Kyle Lowry trade rumors.
While Lowry is still averaging 18 points and seven assists per game at the age of 34, he is going to be a free agent at the end of this season, and the Raptors could hypothetically trade him in order to get enough assets to kick-start the rebuild.
Lowry still might get moved, but he tried to placate Raptors fans by reminding everyone where his loyalties lie.
On a conference call with reporters, Lowry claimed that he “will retire as a Toronto Raptor.” However, he hinted that we will have to wait and see what he has planned during the offseason, which isn’t a ringing endorsement of a return in 2021.
Lowry: "I will retire as a Toronto Raptor. One-day contract, hey, whatever happens." Says we'll see in the offseason but he wants to retire a Raptor.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) March 11, 2021
Kyle Lowry will always be a Raptors legend
While Lowry trails DeMar DeRozan in several Raptors all-time leaderboards, he ranks first in assists, triple-doubles, and steals while coming in second in games played. Lowry has outscored even the mighty Vince Carter in Toronto, with only DeRozan and Chris Bosh topping him in that category.
Lowry has been frequently mock-traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, as he is a Philadelphia native, Villanova alum, and aging vet who could want some more chances at ring No. 2. The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers have also been mentioned as potential destinations for the pivotal figure in Raptors history.
While those three teams could give the Raptors assets for an aging player that just sold his house in Toronto and could head out the door this offseason, leaving the Raptors with nothing, does it really make sense to trade your second-best player and franchise icon when you’re in the middle of fighting for a postseason spot?
Lowry has carte blanche to basically do whatever he wants, as the combination of No. 7, Nick Nurse, and the mighty Kawhi Leonard helped Toronto overcome their postseason demons and raise a championship banner for the first time in franchise history. While Lowry might conceivably be on the move this offseason, he knows where his loyalties lie.
No matter what color jersey Lowry suits up in next season, he will always be a Raptor at heart, and quotes like what he offered up today prove that.