The New York Knicks could finally acquire Kyle Lowry as reports indicated that the Toronto Raptors are now willing to move the veteran playmaker before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday.
ESPN New York reported that the Knicks are still pursuing Lowry despite numerous failed attempts over the past few weeks. Previous reports indicated that the Knicks offered Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr. in previous discussions, but the Raptors reportedly demanded for a high future first-round pick in any deal.
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There is no imminent deal at this point, but sources revealed that the Raptors, Knicks, and the Atlanta Hawks have been discussing a possible three-team trade before the deadline.
Sources said that the three teams have been discussing a trade that would send Lowry to the Knicks, Shumpert to the Hawks, and Jeff Teague to the Raptors. The Hawks will have at least four first-round picks over the next four seasons, and one or two of those picks could be included in the deal to satisfy the Raptors' demand for a draft pick.
"League sources say a scenario in which Teague ends up in Toronto, Shumpert goes to Atlanta and Lowry winds up in New York has been discussed," ESPN New York reported.
Acquiring Lowry would be a risky move for the Knicks since the veteran point guard will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, but the Knicks look willing to take a gamble in order to turn their season around.
Lowry's impending free agency has been an issue with the Raptors with sources saying that the Raptors are not willing to commit to Lowry in the long run, which is the reason why they are now considering moving him instead of getting nothing in return when the 27-year-old point guard hits free agency.
Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri has been very reluctant to deal Lowry, knowing that trading him could lead to backlash from fans.
Trading Lowry could be viewed as one-step-backward move since the Raptors are currently on pace to make the playoffs. But Ujiri admitted that their current team might not be good enough to go deep into the playoffs, which is the reason why he is now keeping all options open.
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