Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey may be hoping that being around basketball's best will convince point guard Kyle Lowry to remain in Toronto. Casey and swingman DeMar DeRozan met with Lowry this week in the San Francisco Bay Area ahead of the NBA Finals, sources told ESPN's Chris Haynes.
Casey's objective, according to Haynes, was to expose his top players to "NBA Finals culture." Raptors guard Norman Powell also reportedly attended the meeting.
Lowry, 31, is an unrestricted free agent as of July 1. He's expected to court interest from other suitors, including the San Antonio Spurs and his hometown Philadelphia 76ers.
The Raptors have put together the best run in franchise history under the leadership of Casey, Lowry, and DeRozan, but have had the misfortune of playing in the Eastern Conference era of LeBron James during that time. Whether they - or any other East team - can unseat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the near future remains to be seen, but Toronto appears committed to keeping its core together in pursuit of that goal.
Casey told a Toronto radio station last month that he's been in regular contact with Lowry since the season ended with a second-round sweep at the hands of the Cavs.
