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We need to read between the lines here. We didn't resign Ibaka because we don't want to pay the luxury tax. We don't want to pay the tax because the team knows they aren't going to compete for a title next season. If we aren't competing now then we should be building for the future. I'm not saying trade Lowry to Sacremento but I'm sure a deal can be worked out where he provides a shortlist of contenders and Raps can trade him to one of them for some assets in return.

I don't see the point in letting the season play out. We aren't getting out of the 1st or 2nd round so let's prepare for future seasons. Also, we can hold onto Lowry out of loyalty and then he can leave for nothing in the summer. It's best to remain patient, treat him with respect, and work out a trade that makes him happy and improves our future.

There is no sugarcoating we are going to be a weaker team this coming season. We don't have homecourt advantage, we are weak at C, and our competitors have gotten better.

We can't afford to continue to lose assets for nothing. We should have traded our expiring contracts last season but it's understandable we held onto them since we had a legit chance to win the east. We have no chance of winning the east this season.

The typical decision is to trade Lowry after near-maxing out a younger PG but the optics will be tricky

NotMyKawhi wrote:kawhi and Green were understandable bc we went all in.


But Ibaka should have been traded at the deadline. We've lost a lot of assets for nothing the last two seasons. What's gonna stop lowry from signing the mid level w a contender next year?

idk if we lose Kawhi, Danny, Ibaka, Gasol and Lowry all for nothing, it's gonna set our team back. Why not maximize our assets?

Absolutely would be proactive in looking to deal Kyle. Hurts to say it, but that seems to be the reason why he was extended for 1 more season this upcoming season. Again, short term pain for the long term.

As others have said - he wants out, you work with him for a way out. Philly seems like the obvious fit for everyone...

Kordic27 wrote:As others have said - he wants out, you work with him for a way out. Philly seems like the obvious fit for everyone...

Speaking about wanting out...that might be one Paul Labile Pogba and Donny...if Ole keeps gluing him to the bench at the expense of Juan Mata and all the defensive midfielders to compensate for that bumarse Harry Maguire.

Its time to move Lowry.

This team won't be making it past the first round, second round at best for the foreseeable future. Doesnt make any sense for the team or Lowry for him to stay.

Send him home and let his last few good years in the league actually mean something.

Been a massive Lowry supported from day 1...

But i would 100% be exploring trades right now while he still have value. Last thing I want to watch is 4 to 5 years of 'thank you' to Lowry while the team slowly erodes further from contending.

If the deal is there you gotta pull the trigger

Absolutely!

Get a decent return while you still can instead of letting him walk in FA when he sees this squad ain't doing ish. Some people need to learn how to use their head and not their heart. Tough to see him go but I'm sure can work with him where both parties are fairly ok with the end result.

I would go talk to Lowry and get a sense of where his head it at. If you could move him to a situation he's happy with, and we get some picks back, it's better than losing him for nothing.

Childs wrote:Losing Lowry would be so devastating to me, but if the Celtics traded Paul Pierce...

when I said this last week people came for me but now you guys see what im saying. You’re losing assets for nothing!! As much as the Celtics loved Pierce they weren’t ready to risk him walking for nothing! They moved him and Garnet it saved them having to go into a full Philly style rebuild. They got a lot assets in that trade that saved them. I just don’t see how a superstar is going to come here knowing Lowry is a free agent. It’s a huge risk. Lowry is big asset right now but some raptor fans are not ready to have this conversation. All I’m saying is Lowry could leave for nothing when the Clippers come to put the final nail in our coffin, when Lebron goes into dirty GM mode.. at least the pelicans got the number 1 pick..

Only if Lowry is on board with the trade and the team he's going to. He's done too much for us to.. DeRozan him

RaptorsNorth wrote:

Childs wrote:Losing Lowry would be so devastating to me, but if the Celtics traded Paul Pierce...

when I said this last week people came for me but now you guys see what im saying. You’re losing assets for nothing!! As much as the Celtics loved Pierce they weren’t ready to risk him walking for nothing! They moved him and Garnet it saved them having to go into a full Philly style rebuild. They got a lot assets in that trade that saved them. I just don’t see how a superstar is going to come here knowing Lowry is a free agent. It’s a huge risk. Lowry is big asset right now but some raptor fans are not ready to have this conversation. All I’m saying is Lowry could leave for nothing when the Clippers come to put the final nail in our coffin, when Lebron goes into dirty GM mode..

Raps re-upping of Senior is clear change of guard. Literally and figuratively.

It's Senior's squad now.

Kyle been around long enough to understand this is a business. IT is ALWAYS business over sentiment no matter what is said publicly.

He either says trade me to this team or that team - and Masai works with him to make it happen OR Kyle says he is staying and that's it.

Green Backpack wrote:Only if Lowry is on board with the trade and the team he's going to. He's done too much for us to.. DeRozan him

how Is that the same as Derozan’s situation ? Lowry has a ring and his contract is up next season unlike Demar who was traded after recently resigning with us. Lowry basically played out the contract we signed him for. How is that Derozaning him ? He might leave! Whats worse for this organization ? Lowry is not bigger than the Toronto Raptors. The Toronto Raptors are going be around long after he hangs it up! You’re thinking what’s best for Kyle Lowry who won a championship in his career when you should be thinking whats best for the organization in future. Was Pierce mad when he was traded ? He knew the deal!

No player is bigger than an organization and it’s future. Look at the cavs when Lebron walked on them. They’re probably still thinking we should have traded him. If they traded him you think they wouldn’t have gotten enough talent to at least remain a playoffs team or get top picks for years to come ? They’re screwed! They went from Lebronto to Ohi-no in a matter of no time! They’re a joke in the league now. They’re the new Knicks! He didn’t even let them sign and trade him. Look at them after he left. They scattered out of there. JR sat at home and now Kevin Love is begging a team to put him out of his misery. You can destroy your organization for years to come if you don’t look at whats best for the organization first. Lowry could be in Philly with his legs up 3 years from now and we’re screwed in this city! Remember we’re in canada so rebuilding is going to be twice as hard without any assets. I don’t know about you guys but I’m not trying to go back to the craptors days.

Some of you guys seem to think Lowry is above us possibly going back to the days of the craptors so as long as we try to keep him then who cares what happens after smh You’re a not a fan of the Raptors you’re a Kyle Lowry fan. You don’t give a sh.. if we crash and burn if he decides to walk.

Nobody is bigger than the Toronto Raptors and that includes nurse, Masai and Bobby because when those guys are gone this team is still going be here and we’re going to be here supporting this organization. You think the Toronto Raptors stop if those guys leave ? The show don’t stop.

Does that look like somebody that’s upset ?

He defines our team culture and over the past few years, ive learned that team culture is more important than talent. Its actually the reason our young player have developed so well.

We shouldn't be looking to trade him - but we should absolutely be open to it, if the right deal comes around.

Just seeing how many assets a guy like Jrue brought back is enough to not risk it again.

I have this weird feeling we'll lose him for nothing when his contract expires.

lowry+norm+picks for harden

You may as well trade him if that works for all parties because no one's coming to pursue a championship here now in his remaining years. This is how I think the conversation between Masai and Ibaka went. Ibaka: If I sign for 1+1 with a team option will you trade me at the deadline for assets? Masai (with head down): Serge, I can't lie to you, we' ll do what is best for the team. Serge: See ya! ask Lowry where he'd like to play (if he still wants to chase a ring) and see what you can do. You just can't sugar coat it now. We are committed to FVV, Siakam and soon OG and unless all three prove to be the real deal we' re well short of being an attractive destination. The time to have done it was actually last year, but it was such a crazy year, and personal relationships/loyalty may have kept this team together just a bit too long. hard to say, though. The players would have all felt betrayed I guess.

NotMyKawhi wrote:

Childs wrote:Losing Lowry would be so devastating to me, but if the Celtics traded Paul Pierce...

It's really a perfect example. Them making that trade is why they are where they are now


lots on this board would say hell no but you don't think the celitcs were saying the same? Now they probably couldn't be happier. It really helps both parties. Lowry gets a chance at another championship, we get younger assets to go with our core.

in the long view, no on really knows about these things. Everyone hailed Ainge as a genius when that trade was made but Raptors ended up winning a championship before them and Brooklyn is back to full power with Durant, Irving and possibly Harden, lapping Celtics.
Lowry's earned the right to write his own ticket. If he does want to leave, I'm OK with him traded to a team of his choice.

HiMyNameIsTrey wrote:Also how could you say that ibaka should have been traded at the deadline when we were the defending champs who had a legit shot at reaching the finals again even after kawhi ditched them? Use your head man

This. Not to mention Marc was hurt. We were running it back, like a champion should.

It's a good point that if a max FA comes in 2021, Raps would have to renounce Lowry's Bird Rights. He's not going to play for the vet min, so he's gone. That's why Masai has loaded up with Davis, Flynn and the 2nd round pick. But they're not ready yet. Ideally, with Lowry's permission, we'd get some assets for him at the trade deadline. Although 30 mill of salary isn't easy to move at any time, especially during the season.

My fantasy is that Lowry wants to go back to Houston, and he and Norm can be part of a trade for Harden and Tucker. A guy can dream.