The Toronto Raptors are no longer title contenders. Yes, they will enter next season as the defending champions, yes, they return 3/5ths of their starting lineup, but with Kawhi Leonard — and Danny Green to a lesser extent — in Los Angeles, the Raptors max out as a second-round exit.
That’s okay. Teams don’t need to shoot for a title every season. A year built around Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry, and company, where the Raptors battle to obtain the three-seed, could be fun. Besides, there is something honorable about battling as much as possible while carrying around the Larry O’Brien.
However, there’s another option for the Toronto Raptors. With an aging core, no chance at contention, and multiple expiring contracts, the team could look to rebuild, or at least reload. They could try to pick up some assets and put together a team around the team’s younger generation. They could take a step back momentarily, to leap forward in the future.
If they do decide to move on from the veterans, the most valuable trade chip is Kyle Lowry. Last season, Lowry was both an All-Star and the team’s unquestionable best player not named Kawhi Leonard or Pascal Siakam.
At 33-years-old, Lowry is clearly on the decline. He’s also on a monster $35 million contract. Because of that, his market might be quieter than his impact suggests. Teams looking to add Lowry are likely franchises stuck in the mud, looking for another piece or two to take them to the next level. Luckily, with only one year left on his deal, he won’t be handicapping team’s future either.
Even if the Raptors do decide to move on from Lowry, it might not be right away. It’s very possible the team finds a better market during the trade deadline when teams start to push their assets all-in for win-now moves.
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