The Toronto Raptors reportedly made a pitch to the Memphis Grizzlies for big man Marc Gasol and point guard Mike Conley this week.
But wait: point guard Mike Conley? Why would the Raptors need a point guard? They already have Kyle Lowry.
Well, Lowry was apparently a part of the offer, which raised hairs around the league, not to mention concerns about Lowry's future with the Raptors organization.
So, should Toronto trade its long-time floor general?
It's a tough question to answer, as Lowry has been the main factor in the Raptors' turnaround from league laughing stock to legitimate contender. He joined Toronto during the summer of 2012, and two years into his tenure, he led the Raptors to the playoffs.
Toronto has been in the postseason every year since, and had it not been for LeBron James crushing their dreams ad nauseam, the Raptors probably would have made at least one finals appearance over the last several seasons.
But this year, there has been a noticeable dropoff in Lowry's production.
Normally a knockdown three-point shooter with the ability to drive daggers through opponents' hearts late in games, the 32-year-old (who turns 33 next month) is shooting just 32.6 percent from downtown this season, his worst mark since the 2009-10 campaign.
In addition, he is averaging only 14.2 points per game, his lowest mark as a Raptor.
You can say that the acquisition of Kawhi Leonard has been a reason for Lowry's drop in scoring, but let's remember that the Raptors swapped DeMar DeRozan for Leonard, so it's not like that move took away shot attempts from Lowry. He just isn't getting as many looks because he isn't quick enough anymore, and a back issue that has plagued him all season long is a big reason.
Still, Lowry's decline actually began last year, when his free-throw rate dropped from 6.1 foul shots a game in 2016-17 to 3,3 last season, an obvious indicator that the bulldog guard had lost a step.
Throw in the fact that Lowry is on the books for $33.3 million next season, and you can see why the Raptors may have some trepidation about keeping him on the roster.
Of course, we have to keep in mind that Toronto was trying to include him a deal for Gasol and Conley, so it's not like the Raptors were just looking to dump him. Gasol is still an elite center, and Conley is a very good point guard.
Honestly, the chances of Toronto actually trading Lowry seem very slim. Think about it: how are the Raptors going to get equal value for a soon-to-be-33-year-old point guard who is declining and is making $31 million this season and is set to earn even more in 2019-20?
The trade offer they made to the Grizzlies just seems like an isolated discussion where Toronto was trying to make a blockbuster move. Gasol and Conley both have big salaries, so Lowry's money would have been able to match. It doesn't seem like Memphis wants anything to do with taking on Lowry's deal, and it's hard to imagine any other team feeling differently.
And let's face it: while Lowry has been struggling this year, he is hardly a bum, and he will be pivotal if the Raptors want to make a deep playoff run.
Really, with Leonard as Toronto's focal point, Lowry does not have to exert nearly as much energy on both ends of the floor as in years past, so he can kind of coast a bit and let Kawhi go to work while merely serving as a second fiddle.
That then brings up the question as to whether or not a club can win a title with Lowry as its second-best player, but that is a topic for another day, because it's not like the Raptors have much of a choice right now.
The trade deadline is a day away, so Toronto still has some time to go out and make a move to bolster its roster.
We didn't think Tobias Harris would be available, and he was surprisingly traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. So, you never know what type of player might be wearing a Raptors uniform after Thursday.
Toronto has some pieces to make a deal. While it likely won't be able to land a star the caliber of Anthony Davis, it can certainly go out and acquire a player to make its team better.
Just don't expect Lowry to be on the move.
The Raptors would have to get another All-Star caliber player in return to make such a trade, and that probably is not going to happen.
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