Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Kyle Lowry Will be Honored with "Everything and Some," Masai Ujiri Says
Masai Ujiri wanted to make one thing clear during his first press conference after re-signing with the Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry will be honored in a very big way.
The Raptors' new vice-chairman and returning president of basketball operations didn't even wait until the questions began to start discussing Lowry and his legacy in Toronto.
"It's been really tough for us to see an incredible player like that go," Ujiri said following his opening thank yous to management, his family, and everyone who made his new contract possible. "What that guy has done for this organization, what he has done for this community, with his participation in everything that we can ask for."
The decision to move on from Lowry was mutual, Ujiri said. After a lackluster start to last season, it became clear that the Raptors were at a crossroads. The championship-winning core from 2018-19 had almost all moved on to sunnier destinations and the Raptors were beginning to look toward a new era led by a younger group of players. Ujiri and Lowry discussed this future throughout the season, Ujiri said, but eventually, the writing was on the wall for a departure this summer.
"Kyle still has these incredible goals," Ujiri said. "Kyle wanted to be here too if that was what we were trying to do. We saw our team as kind of being in the middle ground a little bit and wanted to go a little younger so we can start to grow, almost like when Kyle was here in the beginning."
Lowry's impact will long be felt by this organization and this city. He was, as Ujiri said, the greatest Raptor of all time both on and off the court and he'll always be a member of the Toronto family.
For now, though, Ujiri said he will wish Lowry well. He knows the Heat are a great organization with immediate championship aspirations that will suit Lowry and as long as that doesn't mean beating Toronto this season that'll be OK with the Ujiri.
Eventually, at some point down the road when the ageless Lowry does decide to retire, Ujiri said there will be plenty of time to celebrate. Lowry has said he plans to retire a member of the Raptors on a one-day contract and when he does Toronto will honor him with "all of everything and some," Ujiri said. That'll certainly mean a jersey retirement, as MLSE chairman Larry Tannenbaum has already said, but for the greatest Raptor of all time, the Raptors aren't going to stop short of making sure the festivities match Lowry's impact on the organization.
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