The most important moment in the Toronto Raptors’ offseason came late into the night on July 2. That, of course, was when Kyle Lowry made the decision to re-sign with the Raptors.
While DeMar DeRozan was the Raptors’ sole All-Star last season, there wasn’t a player more integral to the team’s success than its starting point guard. Coming off his strongest season in the league, with the memory of a postseason that ended too soon still fresh in his mind, the 27-year-old Lowry has spent his summer training in hopes of advancing beyond the first round.
Lowry has pointed to the birth of his son, three-year-old Karter, and his marriage during the 2013 offseason as turning points for him both personally and professionally. Maturing as both player and man while holding the reins as the unquestioned leader of the Raptors for the first time, he thrived under pressure. Strong bonds with his teammates and nurturing his relationship with head coach Dwane Casey allowed Lowry to earn the respect of his locker room. He finished the year averaging 17.9 points and 7.4 assists per game.
Assisting Lowry in manning the point was reserve point guard Greivis Vasquez. Acquired by the Raptors in the December trade that sent Rudy Gay to Sacramento, Vasquez came to Toronto and immediately fit in better than anyone could have predicted. Previously wishing to be a starter, Vasquez grew to embrace his role of backing up Lowry and providing a needed scoring boost off the bench.
Vasquez quickly emerged as a fan favourite as he unabashedly expressed his enthusiasm about Toronto. During end-of-season interviews, he delivered one of the best speeches in Raptors history where he had praise for everyone in Toronto, including the school system for doing such a great job with his children. He made it clear he wanted to remain in Toronto and expressed happiness after re-signing with the team.
Helping to bring extra depth to the point guard position for the 2014-2015 campaign are the additions of veteran Lou Williams and Oakland native Will Cherry.
Williams comes to the Raptors from the Atlanta Hawks and will bring experience to the bench. Known for his athleticism and ability to put points on the board, Williams has had to mature as a player after suffering an ACL tear during the 2012-2013 season. With the ability to play either backcourt position, Williams can play alongside Lowry or Vasquez while also giving the team added security in the event that someone goes down with an injury.
Eager to prove he belongs in the league, Cherry turned a strong summer into an NBA opportunity. After impressing Toronto with his performance in July’s Las Vegas Summer League, Cherry showed he can quickly put points on the board and is fearless on the court He spent the 2013-2014 season playing in the D-League with the Canton Charge, averaging 11.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
The return of Lowry and Vasquez gives Toronto continuity and stability entering this season. With solid team chemistry already in place, the hope is that both Lowry and Vasquez can pick up where they left off last season and the team will benefit from 82 games with the combo running the offence this time around. While the additions of Williams and Cherry flesh out the position and give needed depth, it is the play of Lowry that will dictate much of how the Raptors fare this year. Luckily for Raptors fans, he’s up for the challenge.
