As the NBA’s trade deadline fast approaches, the Toronto Raptors remain one of the league’s most fascinating teams.
With Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline looming, we’re about to learn a lot about the direction of the club based on whether or not Kyle Lowry is still on it at 3:01.
In his Monday column for The Athletic, NBA insider Shams Charania highlighted two teams currently leading the popular pursuit for Lowry: the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat. These teams make a lot of sense, both in terms of the standings as well as geographically. The 30-13 76ers are atop the Eastern Conference, and the fifth-place Heat feel like they’re one star away from a return to the Finals. Meanwhile, Lowry hails from Philadelphia and played college basketball at home with Villanova, while an in-state trade to Miami would make travel and protocols easier for the Tampa-based Raptor this year.
Per Charania, “Lowry and the Raptors have built such a relationship that both sides would work on any potential trade or decision for him to stay through the deadline, and the latter scenario would leave for a more organic end to the campaign prior to his summer free agency.”
Charania also notes that while the 76ers and Heat are leading Lowry-related talks, many other clubs are watching closely.
But Lowry, who will turn 35 on the day of the deadline, is not the easiest of fits due to his hefty salary. His $30.5-million cap hit is a big hinderance for a number of clubs — including, as Sam Amick pointed out last week, the Los Angeles Clippers.
Lowry’s skillset, attitude, championship experience and — of course — his expiring contract makes him one of the biggest names to watch this week and a true difference-maker for whichever team he winds up with, should he be dealt.
Currently sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference (17-25, .405 win percentage), the Raptors are undoubtedly in a tough position. Eight straight losses has them closer to the league’s basement than its top tier, with COVID-19 and its related protocols wreaking havoc on the lineup as one of the driving forces behind the dive in the standings. Yet, they’re just a few wins away from finding themselves in a play-in game or post-season position if they can grab the eighth seed away from the Charlotte Hornets (20-21). In his latest edition of the NBA Tier List, Sportsnet’s Steven Loung points out that trading away the organization’s all-time best player might not bring in the kind of franchise-altering effects in terms of draft position or being able to get the right star-studded return of young players.
The adoration for Lowry in Toronto is not one-sided. There’s nothing to indicate that Lowry has asked to be traded, though it has been reported that he wants to compete for a championship. He made it clear earlier this month that, whatever happens, he intends to retire a Raptor.
“Let me say this: I will retire as a Toronto Raptor. That, if I’m here, I will retire as a Toronto Raptor. You know … one-day contract, hey, whatever happens,” he told reporters.
“What I would like to see is finish the season out as strong as possible. Whatever happens, happens,” said Lowry. “At the end of day, myself, my agent, the organization, everyone has to do what’s right for them, right? Everyone has to do what’s best for them and the best situation. Who knows what that is, right? Who knows what that’s going to be? Who knows what that time is going to tell? … Honestly, like, I don’t know, if I (could) tell you. If can look at a crystal ball, I will tell you, (but) I don’t know what the crystal ball says …”
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