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As the NBA nears its trade deadline on March 25, one name who has been attached to plenty of recent trade rumors is Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry.
Lowry has reportedly been linked to several playoff contenders looking to add a veteran playmaker with championship experience in time for the postseason, such as the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers, his hometown team.
The 34-year-old guard has denied the trade rumors on Instagram, but they will likely continue to persist as the trade deadline approaches. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the size of the final season on Lowry’s existing deal could affect the interest of several contenders in pursuing him.
While Amick said the Raptors’ struggles to enter the All-Star break and current record could make them sellers, the final year on Lowry’s current deal may result in him remaining in Toronto until the end of the season. Back in October 2019, Lowry signed a one-year, $30.5 million extension months after helping the franchise win its first title.
Even though there are playoff teams in need of a veteran point guard like the six-time All-Star, they might not have enough financial flexibility or the assets to acquire him at this point in the season. Taking in a $30 million deal is tough and requires a lot of salary to go out.
Should Lowry remain in Toronto for the second half of the season, the team will need him to help the team strengthen their chances of returning to the playoffs. The Raptors entered the break having lost four of their last five games and are clinging to the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference at 17-19. They begin the second half of the season on Thursday against the Atlanta Hawks, another team battling for the playoffs.
