National Basketball Association

Report: Kyle Lowry to opt out of final year of contract with Toronto

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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NBA All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry intends to opt out of his final year of his contract with the Toronto Raptors.

Reports surfaced that Toronto Raptors All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry plans on opting out of the last year of his contract. This comes as no surprise as the salary cap increases for a second straight year and even if Lowry stays in Toronto this is an opportunity for him to get locked into a more lucrative deal sooner.

In a recent interview with the Vertical Lowry stated:

“If you’re that franchise’s guy, and you’re the guy that they’ve rolled with, and you’ve given that franchise everything you have, yeah, I think [contract negotiations] should be easy,” Lowry told The Vertical.

After an average beginning to his career in Memphis and Houston, Lowry has invigorated his play in Toronto. As a member of the Raptors, Lowry has been a two-time NBA All-Star. Adding to the list of his accomplishments, he’s been voted as a member of the 3rd Team All-NBA team in 2016, and he helped lead Team USA to a Gold Medal in the Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.

With Lowry transforming into one of the top point guards in the NBA, the Raptors have won three straight Atlantic Division titles and this past year they made their first appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals, falling short to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Despite opting out of his contract, he’s expressed that he wants to stay a member of the Raptors. After witnessing fellow backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan walk away with a five-year deal worth $139 million, Lowry assumes he can cash in on free agency as well.

Point guards such as Goran Dragic, Reggie Jackson, and Mike Conley Jr., received high-end deals over the past few seasons. As expected Lowry is likely to join the list. It’s no secret that the NBA is a point guard’s league and Lowry being one of the best players in Raptors history and the NBA, his wish to get paid and remain a member of the Raptors may remain the same.

Raptors President Masai Ujiri is one of the best in the association. He knows if Toronto wants to sustain their status as one of the NBA’s premiere teams, giving Lowry a blank check will be obligatory.