NBA Rumors: Kyle Lowry Could Be Traded To ‘Point Guard Needy Contenders’ Before February Trade Deadline
The crazy 2019 NBA offseason featured several NBA superstars leaving their respective teams to start a new journey somewhere else. Though most big names on the free agency market have already found a new home, there are still a number of players who are expected to be traded before or during the 2019-20 NBA season. As of now, one of the NBA superstars who is frequently mentioned in various trade rumors is Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors.
Despite losing their best player, Kawhi Leonard, in the 2019 NBA free agency period, the Raptors made it clear to everyone in the league that they have no intention of undergoing a full-scale rebuild. However, most people believe that the Raptors will immediately change their stance about taking a different route once they realize that their current roster doesn’t have what it takes to win another NBA championship.
In his recent article, Ryan Mitchell of Fansided blog Sir Charles In Charge predicted that Raptors President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri will be a “seller” before the February NBA trade deadline. He expects him to trade All-Star point guard Lowry to “point guard needy contenders.”
“I think Ujiri will see the writing on the wall and head into the trade deadline as a seller barring an unexpectedly hot start from the group currently in place. Lowry is heading into the last year of his deal and assuming he’s still playing at a level close to what he’s been the last few years, it’s easy to see point guard needy contenders trying to bring him in for a playoff push. It won’t be easy for the Raptors to pull the trigger given Lowr’s tenure, but it’s time to move on.”
It will definitely be not a surprise if the Raptors really decide to part ways with Kyle Lowry. The core of Lowry, Marc Gasol, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Serge Ibaka is undeniably capable of reaching the playoffs next season, but without Kawhi Leonard, it remains a big question mark if they can beat Eastern Conference powerhouse teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers in a best-of-seven series.
Lowry may have not shown any indication that he’s no longer happy in Toronto, but at this point in his NBA career, he will be better off playing for a legitimate title contender than staying with the Raptors. With his contract set to expire after the 2019-20 NBA season, Lowry is expected to receive strong interest from NBA teams who are aiming to contend for the 2020 NBA championship while preserving their salary cap space for the coming summer.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the trade partners for the Raptors in prospective deals involving Kyle Lowry. According to a previous The Inquisitr article, the Timberwolves may consider sending a trade package centered on former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins to the Raptors in exchange for Lowry.
