Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry must learn from Mats Sundin and accept a trade

The Toronto Raptors are facing a similar scenario that the Toronto Maple Leafs went through during the 2007-08 season. When you think of Kyle Lowry, you immediately think of the greatest Toronto Raptors player of all-time. Depending on your age, you may feel the same thing about Mats Sundin and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

However, your view of Sundin could be a little jaded based on what happened in February 2008. Sometimes you want your favorite players to stay with your favorite team for life and sometimes you want to see them traded. Being a sports fan is very complicated.

During the 2007-08 season, the Leafs were bound to miss the playoffs and had an opportunity to trade Sundin at the NHL Trade Deadline for a good package of prospects and draft picks. However, instead of letting it happen, Sundin refused the deal, because he had a no-trade clause.

Sundin, who was one of the best Maple Leafs to ever play in Toronto, turned the fanbase sideways because the majority of fans wanted to see Sundin traded. It’s not that the fanbase didn’t appreciate what Sundin had done for them during his career, but they understood that it was time for him to move on.

The Toronto Raptors need to be prepared to move off of Kyle Lowry

Sundin was 36 years old, and it didn’t matter that he was the team leader with 420 goals and 987 points. All that mattered what that the Leafs had a valuable trade chip and they could get a solid return for him. In fact, fans thought Sundin was betraying their favorite organization by staying, instead of leaving at the deadline.

Even to this day, some fans are miserable with Sundin for not leaving. As much as loyalty is respected in this city (ie. DeMar DeRozan), Toronto fans aren’t afraid to drive their favorite player to the airport as a rebuild nears.

Lowry has an opportunity to make his legacy even stronger with the city of Toronto. As the greatest Raptors player of all-time, by accepting a trade to a team like the Miami Heat, he’d be helping this organization even more.

The Raptors season all but officially ended with their loss to Houston on Monday night. They’re currently mired in a miserable losing streak, and fans have turned their attention to the draft.

Similar to Sundin, all of the best Lowry highlights and franchise achievements are in the rearview mirror at this point. The six-time NBA All-Star and NBA Champion isn’t getting back to the promised land anytime soon.

Toronto has made Lowry the player he is today and both sides are incredibly appreciative of what he’s accomplished with the Raptors. Nobody played harder than him every night and without him, this team never would have made the playoffs for so many years and they never would have won a championship.

The fanbase loves Lowry and they always will. However, if he stays, that could set the franchise back. Lowry needs to accept a trade somewhere else, so as to keep his legacy intact.

Toronto will always love Lowry, no matter what decision he makes, but accepting a trade will show Raptors fans that he cares about the organization even more than if he stayed.