FanPost

Kyle Lowry

Happy Saturday folks. Other than last night's walloping of ATL by MIL, we've been treated to some very fun playoff basketball and im enjoying a fair bit even w/o our Celtics still suiting up. But decided to play around with some offseason moves and wanted to propose or rather just interject/discuss the man listed above. How you all would feel about him and provide my support for why he should at least be considered.

The Financials :

  • Kyle Lowry is currently set to be an Unrestricted Free Agent. Any acquisition (unless he wants to forfeit 10+million dollars) would need to be via a S&T. Now here and there Boston and Toronto have been rivals but I don't believe to the extent a trade couldn't happen.

The Player :

  • I'm sure even only mild NBA fans know the guy, but here is a bit of a background and where he currently is positioned in his career. Kyle is a 6'0 point guard going into year 16. He's made his mark on the league by being a pesky defender, multi-level scorer, and leader. He is a 6 time All Star and at Age 35 is someone I still consider to be extremely valuable both on the floor and in the lockeroom.

The Need :

  • Boston is in dire need of a Point Guard, one whose strengths lie in more than just putting the ball in the hoop. I love Kemba and wish him all the best. I understand that at that juncture in the offseason of his acquistion, that it was either Kemba or few others - so I welcomed and was excited for the move. However, he was never a perfect fit. Tatum and Brown were and are the clear 1 and 2, and Kemba up until then was always a number 1 option as well. Boston would benefit from a different skillset in their point guard.

The Fit :

  • Kyle Lowry's strengths align perfecty with what I mention as a need. He can distribute the ball (7+ assists most of his career), can play plus defense despite being 6'0, and brings the leadership qualities sorely missed from this team last year. His game is based moreso on a high basketball IQ and skill, rather than athleticism, so his game should age well for the duration of his next contract - provided he stay healthy. That has also been, for the most part, something he has remained throughout his career. And while Boston has had some poor luck with their 3 prior star guards (Isaiah, Kyrie, Kemba) I do believe Kyle can kick the trend.

The Trade :

  • To be completely honest I don't know what Toronto would request as compensation. Sure they may like to retain the face of their franchise, but with Fred VanFleet and pick number 4 (right in line with Suggs) , they may be better off moving in a new direction - while gaining a mixture of present/future based assets. Now if Lowry were on the right side of 30 , I could see them demanding a star-for-star swap, but at 35 I think Boston has the pieces to make a competitive trade. With our current construction and his expected role, I would think Boston would be at the top of his list as ultimately he would have the final say in agreeing to any such S&T. Here is my proposed offer :

Boston Receives : Kyle Lowry (3 year 60 million deal)

Toronto Receives : Tristain Thompson , Romeo Langford , Payton Pritchard , 2023 1st Round Pick

The Rationale :

  • Boston sacrificies Langford who has some solid potential - but remains with an awkward fit due to the injury bug preventing him from solidifying a role. Tristain Thompson is a luxury big after the acquisition of Horford and serves as the main salary matching piece, Pritchard provides an immediate replacement with some similar qualities to Lowry - albeit at not quite as high a level. The first round pick provides that draft capital they would likely demand.
  • Toronto receives Langford, who beyond Anunoby and Trent Jr (if retained) would provide much needed depth with room to grow. Additionally they get Tristain Thompson who - while limited - is certainly an upgrade over Aron Baynes at this point in their careers. Pritchard can step in and fill some minutes off the bench at point along with Flynn. More likely - they draft a player like a Jalen Suggs to be their new guard and Lowry replacement. The first is just another asset for them to hold onto, move, or use as they desire moving forward.

What do you guys think? Do you like the prospect of adding a 3rd star or would you rather we fill out a bit more in other ways with more role-player oriented players to support the Jays. This trade, in my opinion, puts us right up there in the east again. I am not so financially savvy to know if this would prevent us from re-signing Fournier - but according to the NBA cap manager tool both are possible.

Just a fun exercise and thought process to talk some basketball. Let me know what you think!

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