Despite signing All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry to a lucrative three-year contract this summer, the Toronto Raptors are potentially looking to add another star to the mix.
General manager Bobby Webster just recently indicated that the team has talked to the Cleveland Cavaliers about trading for Kyrie Irving.
Bobby Webster, asked if Raps have called Cavs re: Kyrie- "Definitely. When a player like that becomes available you'd be remiss not to call" pic.twitter.com/1YwiKEG593
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) August 15, 2017
There’s no real reason for a team not to reach out to the Cavaliers about a player in Irving that wants to move on from Cleveland. But for the Raptors, this is more due diligence, as Webster noted.
Toronto cannot move Lowry until at some point early in the season. NBA rules prohibit players who just signed a free agent contract to be traded this shortly after signing a new deal.
And outside of Lowry, the Raptors likely don’t have the pieces to acquire someone of Irving’s ilk. After all, star guard DeMar DeRozan isn’t going anywhere.
As it relates to the Cavaliers, time is running out for the team to make a decision on their embattled All-Star guard. Training camp opens next month, and the team would like to have this settled before then.