2021 NBA Trade Deadline: 10 predictions of what will happen

Prediction No. 9: Kyle Lowry’s reign in Toronto comes to an end

Kyle Lowry is an example of an athlete that many young people should idolize. He is an undersized point guard who always replaced any lack of height with his intensity on the court.

He initially struggled to find a home during his opening years and acted as a backup point guard to players that possessed at most half of his talent. After finding his way to the Toronto Raptors, he stuck with them through the hard times of first-round exits and eventually played a major role in Toronto’s first title.

He is an icon for the franchise and every fan has been grateful for his presence since 2012. He arrived a moderately good guard and is now an All-Star, All-NBA player and has kickstarted his ring collection. In a few years, his No. 7 jersey will undoubtedly hang in their ceiling.

But all good things must come to an end. The Raptors are getting younger and Lowry has enough left in the tank for a couple more solid seasons. He is on an expiring contract and, with no apparent plans on a return, the Raptors might look to flip him for better long-term options.

Even though many teams could benefit from Lowry’s experience at the point guard spot, none of them even come close to the LA Clippers when it comes to his most likely next destination, whether that is in the next weeks or in the summer.

He already has a friendly and proven bond with Kawhi Leonard and, to be frank, is everything the Clippers need in a point guard. A team stacked in almost every other area of the roster, Lowry might be the missing piece that will help them reach their first Western Conference Finals.