Why this trade makes sense for the Toronto Raptors
Kyle Lowry is not getting any younger and while he is a beloved member of the Toronto Raptors organization, all good things must come to an end at some point. Lowry is in the final year of his contract and is really not worth $30M+ a year anymore, which is why it would be wise for Toronto to trade him now while his value is still very high.
Goran Dragic and Kelly Olynyk are both really solid offensive players and both of them can really make a difference for the Raptors in their second-unit. One of the biggest reasons why the Raptors have had their struggles this year is because they do not have much depth.
With Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby and Fred VanVleet being out due to health and safety protocols over the last couple of weeks, the Raptors lack of depth is starting to show as only Kyle Lowry, Norman Powell and Chris Boucher have been productive for them.
Their bench currently ranks 23rd in the league in scoring and outside of Chris Boucher and sometimes Norman Powell, when he is not in the starting lineup, they really do not have anyone on their bench that is reliable. As a result, this team usually plays with seven to eight guys every single night, which is not ideal for them moving into the second-half of the season.
Getting a chance to expand their bench with high-level talents and players that knows what it takes to win could be huge for Toronto as they look to make it back to the NBA Finals for a chance to win their second title in the last three seasons.
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Getting a first-round pick in 2022 that should convey over too is very ideal for the Raptors. Not only does this pick give Toronto leverage in terms of drafting more young talents in the future to build with, but they could potentially use this pick at a future time to acquire another high-level talent via trade.
The Raptors are in a good spot as a franchise right now, but they need to make the right moves before the trade deadline. If they hold onto Kyle Lowry, they will still be set up for success, but they could get better as a team overall if Lowry was to be traded to the Heat.
