"Unless I die": Kyle Lowry still plans to retire with the Raptors

Former Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry has had a pretty decent run with the Miami Heat so far.

Though Lowry’s numbers have dropped — he’s under 10 points a game for the first time since 2009-10 — and he’s been conditioned to just 29.3 minutes per night, the 37-year-old point guard has been part of some pretty impressive Heat teams so far.

In his first two playoff runs in Miami, Lowry advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022 before making the NBA Finals this past spring.

However, Lowry still plans to keep good on an old promise to wrap up his career in Toronto, even if it’s just a formality.

“I’m definitely retiring as a Raptor. That’s something I’ve said since I left here. I will sign that one-day contract and I will retire as a Toronto Raptor. That’s just how it’s going to be. Unless I die before that,” Lowry said at the Heat’s morning shootaround ahead of the game tonight in Toronto, as per SI.com’s Aaron Rose.

"I'm definitely retiring as a Raptor. That’s something I've said since I left here. I will sign that day contract and I will retire as a Toronto Raptor. That's just how it’s going to be. Unless I die before that." – Kyle Lowry https://t.co/pCNR0g8lCc

— 𝐀𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞 (@AaronBenRose) December 6, 2023

Lowry left the Raptors as part of a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat in the summer of 2021 that ultimately brought Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa back to Toronto. The franchise is drastically different than the one Lowry left, however, with only Pascal Siakam, Chris Boucher, Malachi Flynn, OG Anunoby, and Gary Trent Jr. remaining from Lowry’s time with the team.

Lowry averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds in 601 games for the Raptors in his career, playing nine seasons that were topped off by winning the franchise’s first NBA title in 2019.

Making six All-Star games during his time in Toronto, team President Masai Ujiri has said on multiple occasions that Lowry will become the first player in franchise history to have his number retired.

Tipoff is set for 7:30 pm ET for tonight’s game.

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