Raptors show signs they are ready to move on from Kyle Lowry
When the Toronto Raptors made the decision to fire Dwane Casey it was obvious big changes were coming. No one thought that meant dealing Kyle Lowry.
The Raptors’ inability to get past LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Playoffs ultimately cost Dwane Casey his job. The team’s failures in the postseason may also cost their All-Star point guard his place with the franchise.
Marc Stein is reporting that Raptors General Manager Masai Ujiri is working the phones trying to move up in the draft. The object of his affection is Kentucky point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The challenge for the Raptors is that they currently don’t have any selections in the 2018 Draft to work with. Gilgeous-Alexander is projected by most to go somewhere in the late lottery.
Obviously, that means the Raptors are trying to acquire a lottery pick to select the talented point guard. There aren’t many teams looking to move out of the lottery at this point in the process. One possible trade candidate could be the Denver Nuggets. They could be looking to move their No. 14 selection to help reduce their luxury tax concerns.
Draft scuttle: Hearing Toronto is exploring all of its trade options in hopes of assembling a deal to acquire a draft pick high enough to select Kentucky's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 18, 2018
If the Raptors are able to swing a deal that nets them Gilgeous-Alexander, it obviously means the franchise could be ready to turn the page on the Kyle Lowry era. The 32-year-old point guard is still playing at a high level, but it’s likely his performance will start to dip sharply sooner rather than later. The fact that Toronto still owes him over $64 million over the next two seasons may make him difficult, if not impossible to move.
As such, it’s at least possible to believe Toronto would want to hold on to Lowry for at least one more season to help tutor Gilgeous-Alexander. The 6-foot-5 guard only played one season at Kentucky and certainly has a lot to learn about the pro game. He could definitely benefit from a year playing behind Lowry to ease his transition to life in the NBA.
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No matter how you spin it, Toronto’s interest in a highly touted point guard prospect like Gilgeous-Alexander means the Raptors are planning for life after Lowry. The only question is how quickly Ujiri would look to jettison the team’s All-Star point guard.