Kyle Lowry Will Miss Game 4 Due To Ankle Sprain
Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry will miss Sunday’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cavaliers due to a left ankle sprain, according to the team’s official Twitter account.
Lowry missed Game 3 of the series due to the troublesome ankle and admitted to NBA.com that trying to play through the injury may have made it worse. The 31-year-old received treatment on the ankle yesterday and today but it did not improve enough to play in today’s potentially series-ending game.
The Cavaliers have dominated the Raptors in the postseason, winning by double-digits in each of the semifinals’ first three contests. Lowry contributed a double-double (20 points, 11 assists) in Game 1 and another productive outing (20 points, five assists) in Game 2 before going down with the injury.
Injuries have been an issue for Lowry this season as he missed 18 games late in the year due to surgery on an ailing right wrist. All told, the Villanova University product set career-highs in PPG (22.4) and RPG (4.8) while adding solid totals in APG (7.0) through 60 games.
Lowry is set to hit free agency after the season and if the Cavaliers sweep the series — or the ankle injury prevents him from playing if the series continues — the longtime Raptors point guard may have played his last game with Toronto.
Changes Could Include Lowry, Casey
- This summer could bring major changes to the Raptors, including the departure of Kyle Lowry and coach Dwane Casey, writes Steve Simmons of The Toronto Sun. The Raptors trail the Cavaliers 3-0 heading into today’s Game 4, and there is speculation that a second-round exit won’t be enough to keep the team together. Lowry is expected to opt out of his $12MM deal and become a free agent after an injury-filled season. He described himself as “probably doubtful” for today’s game with a sprained left ankle, the latest in a list of ailments that also included back problems and wrist surgery. Lowry has three straight All-Star appearances, but he turned 31 in March and the Raptors will have to decide if he’s worth a long-term investment. Casey has a .548 winning percentage in his six years in Toronto, but team president Masai Ujiri may decide the team needs a different presence on its bench.
Lowry ‘Doubtful’; Raptors Breakup Coming?
Still hobbled by a sprained left ankle, Toronto point guard Kyle Lowry describes himself as “probably doubtful” for Game 4 against the Cavaliers, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star.
Lowry made the assessment today as the team enjoyed a day off before Sunday’s contest. He suffered the ankle injury in Game 2 of the series and was forced to sit out Game 3.
“Hopefully some things change,” Lowry added, “but right now, I don’t think I’ll be able to play.”
Trailing 3-0, the Raptors could be just a few hours away from the end of their season and a significant summer shakeup. Lowry, who has spent the past five seasons in Toronto, is headed toward free agency. So is Patrick Patterson, who has been with the team since 2013, along with Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker, who were both acquired at this year’s trade deadline.
Smith states that there’s “no way” all four will be re-signed, and cites a feeling of “change in the air” at team headquarters. Cap considerations will probably prove him correct, as the franchise has about $58MM tied up for next season among DeMar DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas and DeMarre Carroll. The Raptors will have about $21MM to spend, and all four free agents will be seeking hefty raises. Toronto management will have to decide how far over the cap it wants to go to keep the current team together when it can’t get past the Cavaliers.
Lowry, an All-Star the past three seasons, is all but certain to opt out of his $12MM salary for next year and seek a max deal. He averaged a career-best 22.4 points per game this season to go with 7.0 assists. Significant increases are probably also looming for Ibaka (who made $12.25MM this year), Patterson ($6.05MM) and Tucker ($5.3MM).
Two More Candidates For President’s Post In Orlando
Two more names have emerged as contenders for the president of basketball operations role in Orlando, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
A report last weekend said the Magic will offer the job to Cavaliers GM David Griffin when his team’s playoff run is over. Kevin McHale has also been mentioned as a possibility. Stein reveals that Milwaukee’s John Hammond and Toronto’s Jeff Weltman are under consideration as well.
Hammond has served as GM of the Bucks since 2008 and was named Executive of the Year in 2010. He received a one-year contract extension from the team last summer that will take him through next season, with the plan that he would transition to a consultant and be replaced by assistant GM Justin Zanik.
Weltman was promoted to GM of the Raptors last September. He joined the team in 2013 after five years as assistant GM of the Bucks. Weltman also held front office positions with the Pistons, Nuggets and Clippers.
The Magic have already started the interview process, but CEO Alex Martins said he expects it to take a long time.
And-Ones: Free Agents, D-League, Bennett, Oden
Several under-the-radar players who will be free agents this summer are improving their bargaining position with their performance in the playoffs, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype. He identifies six players, starting with Golden State big man JaVale McGee, who is averaging 8.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks through five games despite playing just 11.8 minutes per night. McGee signed a non-guaranteed deal with the Warriors for the veteran’s minimum and could be in line for a huge pay raise in July. The others that Kennedy singles out are Serge Ibaka of the Raptors, Joe Ingles of the Jazz, Nene of the Rockets, Andre Roberson of the Thunder and Deron Williams of the Cavaliers.
There’s more news from around the basketball world:
- The Texas Legends, the Mavericks‘ affiliate in the D-League, have given coach Bob MacKinnon a two-year extension, tweets D-League Digest. The D-League veteran is in his first season with the Legends.
- Invitations have been issued for the D-League’s Elite Mini Camp, which will be held May 8-9 in Chicago, relays Chris Reichert of FanSided. Many players have used this showcase to earn spots on summer league rosters, with alumni such as Jonathon Simmons, Hollis Thompson and DeAndre Liggins. Among the best-known names at this year’s camp will be Russ Smith, JaKarr Sampson, Ray McCallum and Cliff Alexander.
- Former No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett, who played 23 games for the Nets this season, has been replaced on his Fenerbahce team in Turkey, according to Bugra Uzar of Eurohoops. Taking his spot on the roster is Pero Antic, who played for the Hawks from 2013 to 2015. Bennett will remain with the club and is expected to be part of the upcoming EuroLeague Final Four.
- Greg Oden, another former No. 1 pick, is hoping to be part of The Basketball Tournament this summer on ESPN, relays Alysha Tsuji of USA Today. Oden’s team is called Scarlet and Gray and is made up of Ohio State alumni. “We think we’re a team that can win it,” he said. “We look at the talent we’ve had here in the last 10 years or so, and we can match up with anybody. We want the state of Ohio supporting us. We’re called Scarlet and Gray, but this team is a representation of the whole state.”
Raptors May Replace Carroll, Valanciunas In Starting Lineup
- In an attempt to contain the Cavaliers’ offense, Raptors head coach Dwane Casey may start Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with Jonas Valanciunas and DeMarre Carroll on the bench, SportsNet’s Michael Grange writes. Both men — who were major signings by team president Masai Ujiri — have underperformed this postseason and Casey is “desperate” to jumpstart his team. Norman Powell and rookie Jakob Poeltl are likely to see significant playing time if Casey goes in that direction.
Eastern Notes: Lowry, Rose, Magic
Kyle Lowry has seven days from the date of the Raptors’ final playoff game to make a decision on his player option for next season, Bobby Marks of The Vertical notes. Lowry is expected to test the free agent market and Toronto must figure out what kind of offer would make sense. In addition to Lowry, the team will also have to worry about retaining Serge Ibaka, P.J. Tucker, and Patrick Patterson.
The team has roughly $76MM in guaranteed contracts on the books for next season. Re-signing all their players may be difficult, but finding replacements on the market with only $25MM of cap space will be an even harder feat.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Derrick Rose, who will be a free agent this summer, will likely need to take a short-term deal and prove he’s healthy, Marks adds in the same piece. The scribe adds that Rose may be best suited to play off the ball at this point in his career.
- The Magic are looking for a strong presence to lead the basketball operations side of the front office while CEO Alex Martins runs the business side, sources tell Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. It was previously reported that Orlando may try to poach Larry Bird for that role, however, Bontemps believes that kind of move is unlikely for the former Celtics great.
- Terrence Ross, who was sent to the Magic mid-season, is embracing the challenge of helping Orlando get back to the NBA’s second season, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes. “Everything counts when you’re trying to make it to the playoffs or chase the trophy,” Ross said. “It’s a whole bunch of things that goes into it. You’ve got to make sure you’re playing the game right with pure heart, understand what it takes to win. I think that’s what we’re trying to figure out here.”
Ibaka Gives Raptors New Look
Nadeau names the Celtics as a potential fit based on Carter’s ability to make shots from behind the arc. The scribe also wonders if the veteran would be open to a reunion with the Raptors, something that may help to heal wounds with Toronto fans who never forgave him for pushing his way out of town back in 2004.
- The Cavaliers handily beat the Raptors last postseason, but coach Tyronn Lue believes Toronto’s midseason trade acquisitions will make the team tougher to beat this time around, as Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. ” You get a guy who is a great shot blocker, a great defender,” Lue said of Serge Ibaka. “A great one-on-one defender and he can also make a shot. He can make a 3-point shot now. His mid-range game is very nice also, so he adds a different dimension to their team and I know they was talking about being better defensively, so adding Ibaka and adding P.J. Tucker really helps that for them.“
- Kevin Love agrees with Lue’s assessment of Ibaka and the Raptors, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com relays. “Just a different dynamic,” Love said of Ibaka. “Definitely shooters with both him and [Patrick] Patterson out there. He brings a ton of energy. Played really well in Round 1, so he just gives them a whole different look and a guy who has a ton of playoff experience coming from Oklahoma City. Obviously getting traded from Orlando, but all his playoff experience being there and playing in a lot of big games. He really helps them.”
Scola Doesn’t See Himself Returning To NBA
In an interview with TSN 1050 Toronto, former Raptors forward Luis Scola said that he doesn’t see himself playing another season in the NBA. The 36-year-old didn’t rule it out altogether, however.
Over the course of 10 seasons, the big man established himself as a consistently underrated threat, his best year as a pro being the 2010/11 campaign in which he averaged 18.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game for the Rockets.
In 2016/17, Scola played sparingly for the Nets, an anticlimatic cap on an effective, if unspectacular NBA career.
Although he never earned any All-Star appearances, the big man rode a deft shooting stroke to solid career per-36 numbers and even an Olympic gold medal when he teamed with Manu Ginobili to lead Argentina in 2004.
Alas, given the ever changing NBA landscape, especially for relatively slow big men, Scola seems pretty convinced that he won’t be back playing professional basketball stateside.
“I like to play, it’s just that the NBA became too difficult for me,” Scola said, age no doubt also being a factor for the man who didn’t arrive in the NBA until age 27. “The roles that are out there for me just aren’t as appealing, I don’t enjoy them as much.“
Raptors’ Affiliate Wins NBA D-League Championship
Thursday was a good night for the Raptors’ organization. Not only did the NBA squad pull out a Game 6 victory in Milwaukee to make it through to the second round, but Toronto’s D-League affiliate, Raptors 905, won its first NBADL championship.
The Raptors’ affiliate dropped the first game of the D-League’s best-of-three Finals to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ NBADL team, on Sunday. However, the club bounced back with a win on Tuesday and a resounding 122-96 victory on Thursday night to clinch the series.
While many of the contributors to the championship roster aren’t under contract with the Raptors, former first-round picks Bruno Caboclo and Pascal Siakam played major roles in the team’s postseason run, as did undrafted rookie Fred VanVleet. The trio combined for 76 points on Tuesday, with Caboclo (31 points, 11 rebounds) and VanVleet (28 points, 14 assists) leading the way. All three players remain under team control for the Raptors through at least next season.
While D-League excellence doesn’t necessarily translate to NBA success, the development of their young players is certainly a positive sign for the Raptors, who could be at risk of losing NBA rotation pieces this summer — Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka, P.J. Tucker, and Patrick Patterson will all be eligible for free agency, and re-signing them would likely take Toronto deep into luxury-tax territory.
Meanwhile, the championship win is another major step forward for Raptors 905 head coach Jerry Stackhouse, who was named the D-League’s Coach of the Year last week. Stackhouse will be looking to join the NBA’s head coaching ranks at some point, and his first-year performance for Toronto’s affiliate will look pretty good on his résumé.
Finally, it’s worth noting that the Raptors’ affiliate figures to officially go down as the last D-League champion in league history. Starting next season, the NBADL will be re-branded as the NBAGL — the NBA Gatorade League.