Toronto Raptors: Will they have to choose between Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet?
Will the Toronto Raptors have to choose between their backcourt?
The Toronto Raptors‘ fairytale 2019-20 NBA season came to an end over the weekend when they lost in Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals at the hands of the Boston Celtics. Looking back, this season won’t be considered a disappointment, even less so considering they won their first NBA Championship last season.
However, one aspect that can’t be argued is the fact that the Raptors have some big decisions to make this offseason. One of the biggest revolves around Toronto possibly having to choose between Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet in the backcourt.
The Toronto Raptors’ conundrum
VanVleet is slated to be a free agent after this season and will be in line for a big payday. VanVleet is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 18 points, seven assists, and four rebounds on 41 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent shooting from 3-point range.
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At the very least, he’s looking at a contract that will pay him $15 million per season. And will probably end up signing a contract that will pay him closer to $20 million per season. Will Toronto be the team that gives him that contract?
With the team set to pay Lowry $30-plus million for the 2020-21 season, the final year of his contract, there will be some hesitation. Especially if the team is looking to re-sign Lowry during the 2021 offseason.
Plus, there’s the whole maintaining cap flexibility during the 2021 offseason, which is set to be one of the biggest free-agent periods in recent NBA history. If the Raptors want to keep open as much salary cap space as possible, perhaps signing VanVleet to a long-term, big money deal isn’t the best course of action this summer.
Keep in mind, the Raptors will have to make some re-signings considering they only have seven players under contract heading into next season at the moment. On top of VanVleet, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka are two other key rotation players that will be free agents this offseason too.
Lowry was the team’s best player in the postseason this season and nearly carried the Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals as Pascal Siakam struggled mightily against Boston. Quite frankly, moving Lowry would be as cold-blooded of a move as trading DeMar DeRozan a few offseason ago.
One thing we know, though, is that Masai Ujiri isn’t afraid to pull the trigger if he believes it will help his team. Could the Raptors elect to keep VanVleet (at a lower price-point than $30 million per season) and trade Lowry? Possibly, especially if Ujiri sees this offseason as an opportunity to retool the roster on the fly, before chasing Giannis Antetokounmpo next offseason.
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On the other hand, the Raptors could also maintain 2021 flexibility by just keeping Lowry and letting VanVleet sign a big deal elsewhere. But, with the way VanVleet has played over the course of the last two seasons and considering his age compared to Lowry’s, that’s much easier said than done.