The Toronto Raptors have struggled to get the job done this NBA season. At first, many NBA experts felt as though they could continue to be high-level team after Kawhi Leonard’s departure. That has proven to be a flop and Kyle Lowry could be traded as a result.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers are currently considered the ‘leaders’ to trade for Kyle Lowry if he were to be moved at the NBA trade deadline.
“The Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers are leaders in pursuit to acquire Lowry, sources told The Athletic, and several rival team executives are monitoring the situation as well as which young player or asset either team could part with. Lowry has spent the last nine years in Toronto, cementing himself as a legacy player for the Raptors and as arguably the best player in franchise history. Lowry’s arrival in Toronto predated Masai Ujiri’s presidency, and to fans, he represents a through line that connects the Raptors’ fight for relevancy at the beginning of his time with the franchise to their current status as one of the league’s most respected organizations.”
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The current expectation is that Kyle Lowry is set on wanting to compete for another NBA championship at this stage of his NBA career. What he has meant to the Raptors organization would only help him find a new team if he were to voice his desire to move on.
“Those with knowledge of Lowry’s mindset believe he wants to compete for a championship, however, and that is what makes this season in Toronto so complicated. 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.”
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There is legitimate appeal from Lowry’s perspective when it comes to both the 87ers and Heat as potential trade destinations. His hometown is Philadelphia and they are a top team in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, he is close to Jimmy Butler.
“In Philadelphia and Miami, there is familiarity for Lowry. Philadelphia is home for Lowry, and the 76ers have held the top seed in the Eastern Conference all season. In Miami, Lowry would join a contender where he holds a close relationship with Heat star Jimmy Butler and where he would stay in-state, having played in Tampa all season.”
It will be fascinating to see if the Raptors prove willing to move on from their greatest player in franchise history. It’s never an easy choice to make but if one is being made on the future of the franchise, it would be the right call to maximize results.
The skill-set that Kyle Lowry brings to the table would help to the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers substantially. It doesn’t hurt that he has championship pedigree from his successful title run with the Toronto Raptors.
