Leaving the 2019 NBA Championship for the Raptors, Kyle Lowry would have threatened to resist and demand an exchange if Toronto did not give him an extension of the contract.
Lowry – who got the extension – clearly has a limited willingness to put sentimentality ahead of financial security. That extension will end this summer, and Lowry and the Raptors must decide again about their future.
This process is reaching an inflection point with Thursday’s negotiation deadline.
The Heat and the 76ers are interested in Lowry. Toronto clearly has an interest in maintaining it. But the expiration of Lowry’s contract creates a complication – unless he guarantees a team that he will sign again, which means understanding how much they would offer.
Brian Windhorst from ESPN:
I was talking to a GM this morning, and he basically described it like this: Kyle Lowry’s free agency is happening now. Kyle Lowry is expected to have a new contract by the end of this week. Either it will be to stay in Toronto – whether it is signed or an agreement that it will happen – it will be Miami or it will be Philadelphia.
This will not be a new literal contract. Since his previous extension was only one year, Lowry is not eligible for another contract extension. He will be an unrestricted free agent in this off season.
But any team that finishes the season with Lowry will have their bird rights and an advantage in hiring him.
Therefore, teams interested in Lowry – Toronto, Miami and Philadelphia – want an idea of their wage demands before negotiating. This type of conversation is not uncommon, especially since the Raptors apparently want to do the right thing for Lowry. This may be Lowry’s last chance to prepare for a big contract.
Toronto already has Lowry, and he probably wouldn’t come back if he was traded. (The Raptors, or technically any team that ends the season with Lowry, can also wait to hire and switch him.) The Heat could have a limited space to hire Lowry as an outside free agent this summer, but it could also use it for the extended race this year and it would be easier to sign it with your Bird Rights. The 76ers really reached the sweet spot of wanting Lowry for the 2021 playoffs and, as such an expensive team, needing their Bird Rights to sign him this offseason.
Lowry is a difficult player to assess. He is very good. It also started to decline and will turn 35 on Thursday.
But if Lowry and a team agree on the terms of their next contract – again, just in principle – that would give everyone involved the desired clarity on this issue at least.