Before re-signing with the Toronto Raptors on a three-year, $100 million deal over the summer, Kyle Lowry showed some love for the San Antonio Spurs.
They did not reciprocate.
From the San Antonio-Express News‘ Jabari Young:
But one of the many NBA rumors floating around over the offseason was Lowry, a free agent at the time, was looking elsewhere, with San Antonio a possible destination.
Turns out that rumor was partially true.
“It was real for me,” Lowry told the Express-News, “but it wasn’t real for them. That’s a part of the business that people don’t know. I would have loved to come here, but it didn’t work out. The conversation didn’t happen. If the conversation happened, I would tell you. But it didn’t happen.
“Not saying that I wanted out, but I did look at teams to see what was going on,” said Lowry. “I mean this place would’ve been a great place.”
Raptors fans, as Lowry points out, needn’t be concerned. The point guard was just completing his due diligence. Any 30-something player looking to prolong his career would be foolish not to show interest in the Spurs.
Plus, on paper, Lowry is a pretty good fit in San Antonio. He can play on and off the ball, and his defensive effort is usually, if not predominantly, there. And it was not foolish of him to show interest in the Spurs. Pau Gasol had opted out, and they whiffed on the Chris Paul front before free agency officially began. The assumption was they would kick around the tires on some bigger names.
But the Spurs also gave four years and $50 million to Patty Mills. Tony Parker has one year left on his deal, and Dejounte Murray always seemed primed to soak up more responsibilities as a sophomore. Investing close to nine figures in another point guard might have seemed like overkill. And where the Spurs were able to get Gasol on a three-year deal with a partial guarantee in the final season, Lowry would have been looking for three or four fully guaranteed years at something close to the max.
