The preseason meeting was called by Masai Ujiri, the freshly minted general manager of the Toronto Raptors. Seated around the table were Raptors chairman Larry Tanenbaum, team president Tim Leiweke, Ujiri and his senior advisor Wayne Embry, a Hall of Famer. They were gathered for a kind of intervention on behalf of 27-year-old Kyle Lowry, an overachieving point guard who had developed a reputation for undermining his teams and himself."I said, 'Kyle, these are All-Star people, successful people, and we want to put you in that same position," recalled Ujiri. "I said, 'Some of the things you do doesn't show that you want to be in that position. We want to give you opportunity to change the culture here that we are going to grow -- we want to give you that opportunity."'
Their criticism was meant to be constructive. One by one, Ujiri and his colleagues told Lowry of the potential they saw in him, of the leadership their team needed from him, and of this opportunity to become the player that they and he believed he could become.
"It put a lot of things into perspective for me," said Lowry. "For him to have those guys in that room with me was big for me. All these guys telling you how important you are, it's humbling. It makes you just focus in on, you do not want to let these guys down because of what they are telling you."
Lowry spent the opening five weeks putting their advice into practice, but to no avail. Ujiri had already shipped Andrea Bargnani to the Knicks for three picks (including a first rounder in 2016) and three players; on Dec. 10, after he packaged Rudy Gay to Sacramento, the Raptors were a disappointing 7-13. It was time to investigate the value of the team and the potential for improvement. The next moveable piece was Lowry.
"I explained to him and his agent it could go either way," said Ujiri. "If we develop and play well and grow as a team, then I have to look at this one way; and if we totally collapse and we're not winning very often, then I have to figure out something. Kyle knew and his agent knew. He was really professional and he really pushed the team, so give him all credit. It wasn't something where we were doing stuff without him knowing; I spelled it out in every possible way I could."
But there was no market for Lowry, which spoke not only to the reputation he had earned as a destructive leader, but also to the urgency of his current mission. At 6-feet and 175 pounds there was a hint of Isiah Thomas to his game: He fought so hard to compete against the bigger opponents that he created enemies. In Lowry's case he was blind to the negative impact he made on his own teams, which led to his departure from the Grizzlies (who picked him No. 24 out of Villanova in 2006) and the Rockets, who were relieved to trade him to Toronto in 2012. The message of the Raptors leadership was for Lowry find a way to channel his competitiveness in a constructive way.
"Just be a pro at all times," said Lowry of their advice. "Be a pro, lead the team. When something goes bad you can't let anything put your head down; you got to make sure everyone knows and sees that you're ready to go and you're confident. Don't worry about what people say or what happened in the past. Just worry about right now, this year. Just worry about every single game and worry about winning."
The only team known to be interested in trading for Lowry last month was the Knicks, and even they weren't sure whether he would do more harm than good on their dysfunctional roster. As the negotiations with New York stalled, Lowry was making his best effort to put the good advice into effect.
"It made a huge, huge difference," said Raptors coach Dwane Casey of the meeting. "Just hearing it from them made a huge impression. If it doesn't, then the guy's brain dead. Kyle has responded to it. He's been great with it.
"Everybody grows up, everybody has an opportunity to change. Kyle has changed from that perception that's around the league to where he is right now. He's been a great teammate. I think the turning point was that meeting that Masai had with Wayne and Larry and Tim -- they just laid it out, here it is on the table, here is what we're looking for, there's no gray area. Coach is our coach. You're the player. There is no player-coach controversy. Whatever coach says ..."
While the Knicks vacillated -- the rumors of a trade having been widely reported -- the Raptors thrived. It makes sense now, even though it was unexpected at the time: The departure of Gay has created space for DeMar DeRozan to emerge as a potential All-Star. A starting role was created for second-year guard Terrence Ross, who responded to the increased responsibility by simplifying his game and seizing opportunities instead of forcing them.
The trade was no fleecing, because the Kings, winners in four of their last five games, have been happy with the talent upgrade they've received with Gay. But the instant improvement of the Raptors has been phenomenal all the same. They've gone 13-6 to rise to No. 4 in the East at 19-18 overall. Their defense ranks among the NBA's top three in the New Year, and all of their good news is revolving around the relentless attacking style of Lowry at both ends of the floor. So far this month he's 23 for 47 from three-point range (48.9 percent) while averaging career bests of 16.0 points and 7.4 assists for the season, with an assist-turnover ratio of 3.44 that ranks third among point guards.
"Pass, shoot, rebound, play defense, take charges -- he's a do-it-all point guard," said Ross. "If he was 6-4 or 6-5, he'd be a crazy, crazy force. It's crazy what he puts his body through. It's like man, you probably could play football. He's helping everybody get better."
If the Knicks had traded for Lowry, would he be having the same positive impact? Maybe not: Maybe the absence of structure and a single-minded point of view in New York would have aggravated the worst side of his competitive nature.
"He's done a good job of working with the young players -- he communicates with (Jonas) Valanciunas, he's been great," said Casey. "I haven't seen a lot of change as far as that edge. And I don't want to lose that edge. I want him to be that junkyard dog on the floor. But also communicate more. He's done everything we've asked him to do: communicate with the staff, teammates. So far so good."
That last statement carries the most weight: For these last five weeks amount to nothing more than a good first step for Lowry and his Raptors. Who knows whether it will lead to long-term success? In the meantime, this first step is better than any other direction they might have taken. "I think Kyle is really trying his best," said Ujiri. "He's always been in a situation where there is another point guard that is high-caliber behind him, pushing back at him. Now he's been given the team. You're a starting point guard. Run your team."
Ujiri was hired to bring success to a franchise that has won one divisional title and one playoff series in 18 seasons. The obvious route would have been to tear down and rebuild. Instead he has found promise in an experienced championship coach (as a Mavericks' lead assistant) in Casey, and in a talented young roster with upside whose oldest starter is Lowry, just now hitting his prime.
The biggest difference that Ujiri has made in his short time has been to unload the players that didn't fit while showing faith in those that do. Where others saw problems in Lowry, the Raptors saw hope. Lowry will be a free agent this summer, and if he is able to maintain and build upon Toronto's last month of good play, then he may have found himself a home.
"With me being older and having the summer I had - having a son, having a wife -- it's one of those things where you learn, you grow up, you mature," said Lowry. "You understand that things aren't always going to be perfect, but you have to fight through them.
"I worked my ass off to be in good shape," Lowry went on, "and to make sure to prove people wrong. I want to be better, but I think right now I'm damn good. I think I can hold my own against anybody."
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20140117/toronto-raptors-kyle-lowry-masai-ujiri/#ixzz2rj4PvYYz
he headbutted with casey and casey preferred jose's style. he had the same issues in houston but he performed well there. he never had full control of a team with a pg lurking in the background. this could be a contract year guy but he's played the same style and way on the court wherever he's been. last year was the blip on the radar. he's the same guy from houston, just more mature. my only concern with him is getting hurt.
on a side note, look at how ujiri approached a player like kyle. that's why he's regarded as one of the best gm's out there.
1/28/2014 4:19 PM