The 2018-19 NBA season was a story of redemption for Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, though it hardly started out that way.
Fresh off yet another defeat at the hands of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2018 playoffs, Lowry had to endure a full offseason of scrutiny with respect to his underwhelming postseason performances despite proving himself as one of the best players in franchise history.
Then, in one of the most stunning moves of that summer, the Raptors traded beloved franchise star–and Lowry's best friend–DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Kawhi Leonard.
The Raptors got off to a good start when the regular season began, but Lowry struggled to play through back pain, and would eventually miss 17 games on the year. He would also have to endure criticisms for being chosen as an All-Star over Mike Conley, Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell.
In the first two rounds of the playoffs, Lowry was a model of consistency. Pundits questioned whether Leonard's superb play would be enough to help the Raptors reach the Finals.
Through it all, Kyle Lowry was resilient. He was excellent in the final three games of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, and was tremendous against the Warriors in the Finals.
Lowry was the motor for Toronto, playing excellent defense on Stephen Curry and averaging 16.2 points, 7.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds while shooting nearly 37 percent beyond the arc as the Raptors won their first title in franchise history.
The Raptors owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to Kyle Lowry for his contributions to the franchise. But with Leonard gone and Lowry in the final year of his contract, the Raptors should attempt to deal him in an effort to start over.
Build around Siakam
One of the major reasons the Raptors became a championship team was the development of Pascal Siakam. After showing improvements in his sophomore season, Siakam became a legitimate two-way star this past year.
Siakam averaged 16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 55 percent from the field and 37 percent from the 3-point line. He became a viable scorer alongside Leonard and Lowry, and was excellent in transition.
More importantly, Siakam showed a knack for using his length to get to the rim and finish through contact, while also still having a decent enough handle to create his own shot off the dribble. He dominated the Warriors in Game 1 of the Finals, repeatedly exploiting their defense with backcuts and flying down the wing on fast breaks.
Given his improvements through the first three seasons, it is time to give Siakam free rein over the offense.
Although Lowry's ability to drive and dish served Siakam very well, both he and Leonard needed the ball to be effective. This may not be the case for Fred VanVleet–Lowry's presumptive replacement–who can move off the ball and spot up at the 3-point line.
The Raptors would do well to increase Siakam's usage and let him get more touches next season, but that would be easier without Lowry.
Aging, but still a star
Kyle Lowry definitely saw decline in production this past season. He averaged fewer points and rebounds per game while also experiencing a drop-off in efficiency. That said, he is still a star player.
There are not too many pure point guards that can shoot, distribute and rebound at a high level, but Kyle Lowry is certainly one of them. Given his tenacity and quickness, he has the chance to be effective at a high level even though he will be 34 years old next March.
The question is whether or not other teams around the league will be comfortable trading away assets in order to acquire Lowry's expiring contract. However, there are a number of teams around the league that could be interested should the Raptors elect to shop Lowry.
The Dallas Mavericks are also looking for a point guard after recanting on a three-team deal that would have sent Goran Dragic to Dallas. Might they be willing to buy high on Lowry in the hopes that he could help solidify a roster built around Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis? Dallas and Detroit could be in play if the Raptors make Lowry available.
Kyle Lowry has given his all to the Raptors in his seven seasons in Toronto, but it is time for Masai Ujiri and Co. to look to the future, and trade Lowry while he still has value.
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