It is not yet clear what draft compensation is accompanying Achiuwa to Toronto for facilitating and possibly taking on Dragic’s $19.44 million salary. The Heat can’t trade a first-round pick that conveys sooner than 2025, and even that date would be contingent on an earlier pick they owe to convey by 2023. They also only have a 2022 second-round pick (the worse of Philadelphia or Denver’s pick, so something in the 50s) or their own 2028 second-round pick to deal. Not exactly a massive haul, however it shakes out.
Two questions flow next: Are Achiuwa and some deep future picks enough for the Raptors to have played ball here? And what happens with Dragic?
The second question could inform the first. It was initially presumed Dragic would be routed elsewhere, either via a second trade or expanding the Lowry deal into a three-teamer. Dragic has been open about wanting to play in Dallas, and the Raptors would gladly send him there if it returned assets. A package of Dwight Powell and either Willie Cauley-Stein, Maxi Kleber or Dorian Finney-Smith works for cap math and satisfies the Raptors’ depth concerns at centre, but it leaves the Mavericks quite thin, especially inside. Dallas could conceivably find a fourth team that can throw better-fitting assets Toronto’s way, possibly absorbed to Dallas via trade exception first or for Kleber. The Mavericks have a better-stocked draft-pick cupboard, but their willingness to add Dragic will only go so far in asset terms. Toronto could also look to another team with cap space or that missed on the other point guards.
Basically, the Raptors’ options with Dragic are:
- Find a team that wants Dragic and can offer assets more in line with Toronto’s needs and preferences. This sacrifices the cap space the Raptors would have had without Lowry on the books, but maximizing that space always meant also sacrificing Chris Boucher and the midlevel exception, and I’m not sure that player is out there any longer.
- Find a team that can take Dragic into space. This limits Toronto’s monetary obligation and keeps its cap sheet more flexible, but it will likely return fewer assets. Dragic at $19.44 million for one year is roughly a neutral asset, so I’m skeptical teams are willing to attach heavy pick or prospect capital for him. (You still try, of course.) New Orleans could be a prime target here, expanding its earlier deal with Memphis to make everything fit in a much larger framework.
- Hold Dragic. There would be no reason to buy Dragic out in the short term. Teams only get cap relief for the portion a player gives back, and short of Dragic giving up eight figures to be a free agent, it’s hard to see it being worthwhile. The Raptors could plug Dragic into the rotation as a quality veteran and revisit deals at the trade deadline. This would take the Raptors out of the cap space game too, meaning any remaining additions would come via the midlevel, biannual and minimum exceptions.
The Raptors probably have plans in place for all three paths; there’s just no sense in moving on to Option 3 until you’ve exhausted Options 1 and 2.
Lowry’s legacy as the greatest Raptor of all time can be defined in a number of different ways. The longevity, the success, the ring, the charges, the parade, the marquee moments. You can have your pick. For the organization, though, there were two factors that allowed them to continue to build and tweak around Lowry and ask him to be a human synergy machine, figuring out how to make the pieces work.
The first was his ability to shift roles as his counterparts dictated. Lowry began his Raptors tenure as a fairly balanced point guard, scoring efficiently on moderate usage and carrying a good deal of the ball-handling duties. As DeRozan became more of a lead guard to utilize his improved passing and Lowry’s outside shooting, and minimize spacing concerns with DeRozan off-ball, Lowry became a lethal secondary scorer in a functionally different role. When the Raptors acquired Kawhi Leonard, Lowry took a significantly lesser role in the offence. In a post-Leonard environment, Lowry’s usage first spiked and then receded, allowing space for the young players around him to grow into larger roles at their own pace.
Within all of that, only last year did Lowry’s dramatic impact on winning finally dip, at age 35. Prior to that, he’d been a sure bet to drive the team’s success no matter what was asked of him, aging better than almost any guard ever and turning his twilight years into another reported $90-million deal.
How does that work? Well, the key to the Raptors’ success in this era comes down to Lowry’s other legacy-defining skill: The ability to make those around him better.
That night with Nogueira thanking Lowry was the first of many to come. It was just a few months after Bismack Biyombo had cashed in significantly in free agency, something he owes at least a little to Lowry, given how good Lowry helped make a fairly limited backup centre look at times. It was also, in retrospect, a transition from that Innocent Climb to a Lowry-led stretch of sustained success (mostly) with the amoebic Lowry growing off the court as a tremendous leader and mentor to a newer, younger supporting cast. Fred VanVleet, Delon Wright, Jakob Poeltl, Pascal Siakam, Jordan Loyd; just about any young player the Raptors found raved about Lowry’s quiet — sometimes even secret, because Lowry can’t have everyone knowing he’s a great guy when he has a character to play with the media — stewardship. From meals on the road to suits for the rookies to hot pilates sessions during summer workouts Lowry could easily skip, the point guard’s fingerprints were everywhere.
When the Raptors acquired Khem Birch in the buyout market this past year, Birch thrived immediately, with Lowry declaring he was trying to get Birch paid. He could orchestrate record-setting comebacks with Malcolm Miller, Terence Davis II, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Chris Boucher. He could turn just about any bench unit into a positive one.
Almost to a man, everyone who has worn a Raptors uniform since Lowry arrived has been better off for playing with Lowry, either financially, developmentally or statistically.
Kyle Lowry, Raptors part ways after helping each other reach new heights – Sportsnet
By his own admission, he grew leaps and bounds as a Raptor, both as a player and a person. But “Kyle being Kyle” was a trait that never entirely left him.
How could it? The mile-wide streak where he would suffer no fools and believed he had the right to determine who was a fool or not?
That’s what got him from his North Philly neighbourhood to the inner sanctum of NBA stardom.
But no matter what he never failed in his primary role: when the lights are on play like winning any game, any possession, any battle for a loose ball is the most important thing in the world.
“Listen, I’ve heaped about as much praise as I can on him, I have, I certainly don’t mind doing that,” said Raptors head coach Nick Nurse at the trade deadline. “My one comment that I always make that I think is the highest compliment I give him is he plays harder than anybody I’ve ever seen. On the court coaching, or coaching against, or watching games or anything, he plays harder than anybody I’ve ever seen, I can’t give him a higher compliment than that.”
The Raptors were the beneficiaries of that, as Lowry’s full prime played out before them and his career grew into something more than anyone could have anticipated for a husky, under-sized point guard taken 24th overall in the 2006 draft and who hasn’t dunked in a game since he was 21 — and no, I’m not counting the fingertip squeeze he attempted at the all-star game in 2014-15.
Now it remains to be seen what the final years of Lowry’s career look like.
The Miami Heat will pay mightily for the privilege, having signed Lowry to a reported three-year, fully guaranteed contract that will pay him $90 million through to his 18th NBA season, when Lowry will be 38-years-old.
It’s unwise to bet against Lowry providing value on the deal. In NBA terms the six-time all-star and advanced stats darling has out-earned every contract he’s ever signed.
But the Heat are expecting Lowry to team with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson and the rest to help them win an NBA title. If he can deliver on that, no amount of money will have been poorly spent.
Meanwhile, the Raptors are trying to reset their trajectory around a younger core that they felt couldn’t completely reach their potential with Lowry as the perpetual big brother — or at least, they didn’t want to pay him $90 million to find out.
NBA Free Agency 2021: Kyle Lowry knew it was time to leave the Toronto Raptors – Raptors HQ
That ugly moment is important too in taking in the full view of Lowry. Over his nine years with Toronto, his ability and character changed — he learned new on-court skills, sure, but he also grasped how best to harness his competitive fury and intelligence. Lowry became the perfect teammate, and greatest Raptor of all time, by developing a level of awareness beyond measure. He knew what he was doing, what his teammates were supposed to do, what his opponents were trying to do, even what the reporters were eventually going to write about it all. This could make Lowry seem impatient, or perhaps reckless in his low moments. But it’s also why he’s one of the more beloved players around the league. He was always anticipating what anyone would want before they knew they wanted it.
In a way, Lowry’s departure to Miami is just an extension of that awareness. Yes, he gets to play ball with his pal Jimmy Butler, avoid another Canadian winter, and maybe even compete for one more title. Lowry has also known for some time the Raptors were looking to transition to whatever came after him. He understands his legacy in Toronto is secure, and he knows he’s already reached his peak with the Raptors. And while it may have been a romantic notion to have Lowry in Toronto right up to the very moment he decided to retire, a part of him had to know there would be no transition as long as he hung around. Besides, he was always going to play out his career his way — no sentimental notions were going to come in the way of that.
Except it’s also clear Lowry cared deeply about those around him too. He mentioned last season, a rough protracted year spent in Tampa purgatory, that he was just trying to get his teammates paid. It was said sort of as a joke, the Raptors collectively trying to find any reason to smile through a grim season, but the results now speak for themselves. His protege Fred VanVleet is set up, one-time projects Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are locked in, even a forgotten man like Khem Birch seems due for a raise from Toronto or elsewhere. These players worked hard to get where they are on their own, yet there’s no denying Lowry’s role in their development.
Like the franchise itself, the Raptors fanbase has developed too. We’ve come a long way together with Lowry since 2012 and grown in ways that seemed impossible a decade ago as the accomplishments rolled in. Yes, it would have been sweet to have Lowry play out his days in Toronto. But let it not be said this place is worse off than when he arrived. And like those many thousands of assists he completed in his Raptors career, the timing couldn’t have been better. Really, what more could anyone want?
No, what Ujiri and Webster are doing is clear: They want younger players who can grow. They want to add to a core they see as Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes, and if takes a few days for it to happen that’s fine.
Achiuwa is precisely their kind of player, big and athletic with plenty of room to grow. They are also almost assuredly going to pick up the option on Chris Boucher, and Khem Birch is another likely returnee.
That Toronto hasn’t yet reached a new deal with Birch likely has to do with cap considerations that will become clear when the Lowry-Heat-Dragic situation is cleared up.
Ironically, former Raptor DeMar DeRozan may factor into resolving that issue for Toronto and Dallas.
DeRozan has agreed to a three-year, $85-million (U.S.) deal with Chicago in a sign-and-trade that will see the Bulls send Thad Young, Al-Farouq Aminu and three draft picks to San Antonio.
Reports had suggested Dallas was interested in DeRozan. With him off the board, it may clear the way for the Mavericks to engage more fully with Toronto on a Dragic deal.
A fallback position for the Raptors would be to simply keep Dragic until at least next season’s trade deadline. As fallbacks go, that’s certainly not horrible. The 35-year-old guard is a 13-year NBA veteran who would certainly be a backup upgrade behind VanVleet, with Malachi Flynn moving one slot back in the rotation — like he did in his rookie season behind VanVleet and Lowry.
It wouldn’t be perfect for Flynn’s development, but that kind of backcourt depth — if only until Dragic and his expiring contract can be moved — wouldn’t be untenable.
The key, though, will be to make the right moves, not the quickest ones, and execute a plan that’s been formulating for months. The danger is missing out on some opportunities, but it’s mitigated by the fact that there is already a core in place to build around.
Kyle Lowry is leaving the Raptors. A timeline of his journey in Toronto | The Star
Toronto traded Lowry’s best mate DeRozan in a deal to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. It was heavily reported that for months, Lowry didn’t speak to Raptors president Masai Ujiri.
Goodbye Kyle Lowry, you’re not just the greatest Toronto Raptor of all time — you were the city’s enduring heart and face
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Taking on a lesser role on the scoring end, Lowry soon embraced the new face of his team in pursuit of a championship.When he needed to lead, he did. Most notably in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, where he scored the team’s first 11 points right out of the gate and finished with 26 points and 10 assists to bring Toronto its first-ever championship.
Will Precious Achiuwa solve Raptors riddle in the middle? | Toronto Sun
At the other end is where Achiuwa excels. He’s able to switch across multiple positions — like the likes of OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes — and is a voracious rebounder.
Will he be better than the free-agent big men who were on the market? Nobody knows at this point, but he comes a lot cheaper and will be under team control for years to come with plenty of time to unlock his significant potential.
Achiuwa was fresh off playing for Nigeria in the Olympics in Tokyo — where he averaged eight points and 4.7 rebounds — when he heard about the sign-and-trade.
In an interview with ESPN, Achiuwa said he was happy to have landed with a quality organization like Miami where he could get his NBA start, but also thinking about what he can next accomplish.
“They told me from the first day that this opportunity requires accountability. I had to be accountable for what I did out there and I was able to show what I could do that while also learning how to play the NBA game,” Achiuwa told ESPN.
“And I had great vets with me on the team. Guys like Andre Iguodala, who also has Nigerian descent, and a lot of others that I listened to all year and I was able to pick up a lot of things and learn and add to my game.”
The Raptors appear set to try to thread the needle between fielding a playoff-calibre squad while also developing a team with five core members aged 24 or under.
In Toronto, Achiuwa will play alongside Anunoby, who also is of Nigerian descent and was originally rumoured to be joining him on Team Nigeria this summer. Of course, team president Masai Ujiri is the face of Nigerian sports and was born there, like Achiuwa.
Report: Toronto Raptors sign Sam Dekker to free agent contract – Raptors HQ
As for his fit with the Raptors, well, Dekker is a 6’9” 229 lbs. forward, so he’ll slot in in exactly the same position as every other forward on the roster, pretty much. (Yes, that is a hint of pessimism you’re detecting there!)
The Raptors desperately need playmakers/shot creators, and a centre, and Dekker is neither of those things. So I don’t really think this one moves the needle in any significant way.
One hopes this is more of an end-of-bench, roster-filler move, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster have more to come; on that note, hopefully we’ll hear more as the Raptors and Miami Heat iron out the details of the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade.
Person of Interest: Why newest Raptor Sam Dekker comes with controversy – Sportsnet
Looking at Dekker purely from a basketball standpoint now, however, you can begin to understand the interest the Raptors had in him.
Dekker was a deadly shooter for Türk Telekom last season, making 45.2 per cent of the 126 attempts he took across the 28 games he played in all competition formats.
During the four seasons he played in the NBA before, he was never really able to show his marksmanship from deep as he shot just 28.8 per cent from three-point range, but in the 200 NBA games he’s played he was only afforded the chance to take 309 triples.
Given the fact he’s older and should be a more mature player who better understands his role and how to play it, there should be hope that he improves as a shooter in the NBA to perhaps be more in line with what he did at Türk Telekom.
That would be a boon for the Raptors, as this is a team that’s in need of some knockdown shooters to help finish off penetration from the likes of Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet.
As well, because of his size, Dekker would be easier to keep on the floor as his height and length inherently make him a stronger defender than someone like a Matt Thomas, who was an excellent shooter for the Raptors but couldn’t see floor time because of his defensive limitations.
Dekker fills a very real basketball need the Raptors have, and could end up doing a good job at it, too.
I’m airdropping $RAPS today to the first 20 guys who fill out this form.
