Kyle Lowry Confirms His Plans To Retire As A Raptor

At 37 years old, veteran point guard Kyle Lowry is near the end of his storied NBA career. But before he calls it quits for good, whenever that will be, there is one last stop he will make: back to the place where he became a star. 

"I'm definitely retiring as a Raptor," said Lowry, via Aaron Rose. "That’s something I've said since I left here. I will sign that day contract and I will retire as a Toronto Raptor. That's just how it’s going to be. Unless I die before that." 

Lowry was traded to the Heat back in 2021, and it was assumed it would be where he'd end his career given his steady decline since the 2019-2020 season. Clearly, however, Lowry plans to reunite with his former team one last time, even if it's just for a few days before it's all said and done.

Lowry Is The Greatest Raptor Ever

When you think of Raptors players, names like Kawhi Leonard, DeMar DeRozan, and Scottie Barnes are probably the first to come to mind. Kawhi is a mega-star, DeMar was the team's best player for nearly a decade, and Scottie Barnes is the modern-day face of the team as they build toward the next chapter. Over all of them is Kyle Lowry, who has done more for the Raptors than anybody in the NBA.

Currently, Lowry is second in the franchise for points while leading in all-time win shares, assists, and steals. Most importantly, he was an essential part of the franchise's only championship run, playing second-fiddle to Kawhi Leonard, who famously bailed after just one season with the team. For his loyalty, consistency, and role in helping to lead the team to a championship, Lowry is undoubtedly the greatest Raptor ever. Over nine years in Toronto, the 6x All-Star averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game on 42% shooting. He's also a 5x All-Star, 1x champion, and 1x All-NBA player.

Big Moves Coming For Toronto

Nobody would be surprised if the Raptors brought back Lowry. He's obviously not the player he used to be, but Kyle commands respect in the franchise and he'd make a solid veteran leader for the young guys. Besides the return of a fan favorite, the Raptors could have other moves up their sleeve this season depending on how things play out.

If they continue their downward trend, the Raptors could go nuclear by trading some of their core guys to start a rebuild around Scottie Barnes. Or, they could elect to keep Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby, and Gary Trent Jr. to go all-in on a championship core now. Regardless, these are different times for the Raptors than the Lowry and DeRozan era. With so much youth and nothing to show for their talents, it seems like something will have to give for this Raptors team to have a breakthrough. Either way, Kyle Lowry is ready for a return and Raptors fans will welcome him back with open arms after all he's done for the organization.