Kyle Lowry’s love for the Toronto Raptors cannot be questioned, but in pursuit of a second championship, he has had to switch allegiances. He is currently playing with long-time friend Jimmy Butler in Miami, where he believes they have a decent shot at the championship.
Despite signing an $85 million three-year deal with the Miami Heat, Lowry is still a Raptor through and through, stating that he will undoubtedly retire as a Raptor.
In a chat with The Undefeated’s Marc J Spears, Lowry talked about how difficult it was to leave Toronto but he still considers it home.
“Like I’ve said, and I’ll say it now, I will sign a one-day contract and I’ll retire as a Toronto Raptor. That is my everything.”
The Raptors will host the Heat on February 3, 2022, and Lowry is emotional about his return. He last played in the city on February 28, 2020, but has since played in Tampa due to Canada’s border closure as a response to the covid-19 outbreak. Speaking about his return to Scotiabank Arena, he said:
“I’m a man’s man, but I know I’m going to be a little bit sensitive and crying that day. I don’t know. I might hold it in. I’ve talked to DeMar about it. But it’s one of them days where I know it’s going to be a lot of love for me and me giving love back, it’s just going to be interesting how it goes down because I don’t know what to expect.”
Lowry maintained that he is still in close communication with the Raptors management and ex-teammates. And although he did not want to leave Toronto, he spoke about wanting a stable environment for his kids who are getting older.
While Lowry has his future all but figured out, he has a championship to chase right now. He looks happy with the Heat and is averaging 12 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 7.6 assists.
