The Toronto Raptors have agreed to re-sign unrestricted free agent point guard Kyle Lowry to a deal worth nearly $100 million over three years. The contract cannot officially be signed until the end of the NBA’s moratorium period on July 6th.
Lowry announced the decision himself in a Players’ Tribune article on Sunday afternoon:
Kyle Lowry announces his free agency decision: https://t.co/fYoH53p9mx pic.twitter.com/h0YAV5SZLE
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) July 2, 2017
Shams Charania of The Vertical then filled in the terms of the contract:
Kyle Lowry has agreed to a three-year, near $100M deal to return to Toronto, league source tells The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2017
Kyle Lowry Agrees to Three-Year Contract With Toronto Raptors
Lowry’s new contract will take him through the end of the 2019-20 season.
Lowry averaged 22.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game last season for the Raptors. However, injuries complicated matters for both Lowry and Toronto. Lowry missed a significant amount of time towards the end of the regular season; he only played in 60 games. Only averaging 15.8 points, Lowry struggled to regain his rhythm and fell ill to another injury, effectively ending his season.
Looking forward, Lowry will continue to provide a steady hand as a proven leader and elite defender starting at point guard for Toronto. Known for his leadership on the court, Lowry will look to continue providing leadership and a tough bulldog mentality. The Raptors will need Lowry to stay healthy and bounce back from last year’s struggles in order to contend for homecourt advantage and an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in the 2017-18 season.
Lowry is going into his 13th season in the league, during which he’ll be 31 years old. In his five years with the Raptors, Lowry has led them to four consecutive playoff appearances, including three Atlantic Division titles. Alongside teammate DeMar DeRozan, who re-signed with Toronto last summer, the pair has made up one of the most dynamic and exciting backcourts in the entire NBA.
Check out the LWOS 2017 NBA Free Agency Tracker for all of your NBA free agency coverage, and be sure to follow @LastWordHoops on Twitter to stay up-to-date with the latest NBA news.
Main Photo:
TORONTO, CANADA – APRIL 16: Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles against George Hill #3 of the Indiana Pacers in Game One of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs on April 16, 2016 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
