10:33am: Speaking today to reporters, Raptors president Masai Ujiri said Lowry has told him he wants to stay in Toronto and “I can only believe what he tells me” (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg of TSN 1050). Sportsnet’s Michael Grange adds (via Twitter) that Ujiri appears confident Lowry has “bought in,” but the dollars and years will need to be right for the relationship between the two sides to continue.
8:12am: Kyle Lowry quickly responded on Monday night to a report suggesting that other teams were being informed in mid-May that the veteran point guard had “zero interest” in re-signing with the Raptors. In a tweet, Lowry referred to the column from Bruce Arthur of The Toronto Star as “B.S.”
“I don’t do this ever but: Don’t believe what you hear!!” Lowry wrote. “Especially if it didn’t come from me, and that B.S. FOR SURE didn’t come from me.”
According to Arthur, multiple league sources say that Lowry “has been grumbling about dissatisfaction with the Raptors for months.” Arthur suggests that the Raptors don’t intend to offer Lowry a five-year deal, but adds that even if the team were willing to put a five-year, maximum salary offer on the table, the point guard’s stance in mid-May was that it wouldn’t keep him in Toronto.
Despite these seemingly explosive allegations, Arthur’s column ends by hinting that the Raptors and Lowry may yet work something out. The All-Star point guard is somewhat emotional, and has publicly expressed dissatisfaction with some coaching decisions in the past, even as he talks about how much he enjoys the city and the team. So the claim that he has been “grumbling” for months isn’t necessarily a bombshell.
Additionally, mid-May was right after the Raptors were unceremoniously swept out of the playoffs by Cleveland, with Lowry missing the series’ last two games, so it makes sense that he would be most frustrated with his situation at that point. Talk of blowing up the Raptors’ roster was impossible to avoid in the wake of the team’s playoff exit, but has quieted down somewhat in recent weeks.
With the Sixers having moved up in this year’s draft to nab Markelle Fultz, a potentially serious suitor for Lowry appears to be out of the mix, and there simply aren’t that many great fits for the veteran Raptor around the NBA. Most teams with cap room and a need at point guard are lottery clubs, and Lowry prefers to join a contender. But playoff clubs with a hole at the position would need to move things around to fit in Lowry, and there’s no guarantee they could make him a better pitch than the Raptors could — even if Toronto isn’t willing to go up to five years.
Dallas could be an option for him. New orleans could be interesting if they lose Jrue Holliday. Not sure about their cap, but Milwaukee and the Spurs (if they can move Gasol and fall short on CP3 or don’t get a lesser option like Derrick Rose) could be fits
He would be horrible under Pop, Pop don’t deal with overweight guards who can’t stay away from the fridge. Anyone who pays this fatboy max money should be terminated from their position.
Boris Diaw came to the Spurs overweight and they were able to get his weight down by having incentives in his contract for weighing in at certain weights
Diaw was a passer though at his position, Kyle is not a guy who’s going to be running around setting screens chasing around defenders. Specially against GS in the playoffs, his best bet but it won’t happen due to Phil would have been the Knicks. Then the Knicks could have just drafted Monk but thats probably not gonna happen. Lowry wouldhave complimented Melo and Porzingis very nicely.
Where would the Knicks get the cap room to sign Lowry???
Wow, those are some harsh words. Sounds like you dislike him personally.
In any case, if you actually pay a little attention and not be a lame keyboard warrior, he actually toned down the last couple of years. He looks a lot more fit than he was in Houston or his first couple of years in Toronto. So that misconception about him being fat, well, it’s a misconception.
In any case, it’d be interesting to see where he goes. It does seem like Toronto is the best of the teams with a PG need available that would bring him to contention, short of joining the Warriors or Cavs, of course.
You don’t consider the Spurs contenders? Or Utah, for that matter?
The Raptors would be beyond nuts to pay this man a max deal, he’s over 30 and was arguably the biggest late bloomer of all time. Dallas would be a phenomenal fit for him but he wants max money, don’t think any GM is dumb enough to offer him that. The Raptors are a mess, they have Derozan on the books for another 4 seasons, have no answer at PF and Valanciunas is Soft, dont even get me started on Carroll.