Look up and down the Toronto Raptors net ratings from the past five seasons and one name makes its mark regularly: Kyle Lowry.
A former Villanova standout, Lowry did not make his way to the Raptors until his career was already seven years in. Now, the team is relying on him to right the ship and capitalize on their ultimate high-risk high-reward move.
When the Raptors decided to make a blockbuster deal, sending DeRozan down south and bringing an upgrade in Kawhi Leonard, they risked a possible fissure of the bond between Lowry and the franchise.