Soon to be free agent point guard Kyle Lowry will garner plenty of interest this offseason, but the Toronto Raptors are hoping to keep him up North. According to ESPN’s Chris Haynes, Lowry met with teammate DeMar DeRozan and Raptors’ coach Dwane Casey in the Bay Area. Lowry recently opted out of his contract to become a free-agent.
This is DeRozan and Casey’s first attempt to sway Lowry to remain in Toronto. The meeting was based near the site of the NBA Finals strategically, to expose both players to the championship atmosphere. The meeting appears to be substantial in the eyes of Toronto, as DeRozan flew in from Los Angeles for the lone purpose of taking to Lowry. Teammate Norman Powell, who attended Game 1 of the NBA Finals with Casey, was also present at the meeting.
Toronto is in a bind after bowing out in the second round of the playoffs. Lowry is one of the top point guards in the Eastern Conference and is a critical component to the Raptors’s recent success. The team is at a crossroads, especially with the disappointing regression compared to last season’s trip to the conference finals. The Raptors have acknowledged that changes must be made, but they still intend to retain Lowry. That may not be so easy though.
Lowry has expressed his desire to compete for a ring, something that has proven difficult with LeBron James controlling the East. The Sixers have shown interest in bringing Lowry back to his hometown of Philadelphia, but that does not align with his goal of winning a championship. Signs point to Toronto being the best landing spot and favorite to retain the All-Star point guard, but free agency is always unpredictable.
