NBA News Roundup, Tuesday, October 8th: Kyle Lowry extends Toronto stay, Steven Adams addresses ongoing OKC trade rumors and more
The 2019-20 NBA season will get underway in just two weeks, and several teams are hoping to contend thanks to the apparent demise of the Golden State Warriors. The Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Houston Rockets, and Philadelphia 76ers are among the teams entering the new campaign in a strong position, although plenty could still change in the coming weeks.
The Miami Heat continue to be linked with a second-star to pair with Jimmy Butler, and big names such as Kevin Love, Andre Drummond, and Chris Paul have been linked with trades. So, with no shortage of stories around the NBA, here is all the latest news and rumors you need to know for October 8th.
Kyle Lowry signs Toronto Raptors contract extension
Kyle Lowry was among the Toronto Raptors' best performers during their championship-winning season, although the veteran's future with the franchise has been called into question since the departure of Kawhi Leonard. Nevertheless, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that Lowry has agreed on a new one-year extension:
Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors have agreed on a one-year, $31 million contract extension that takes the five-time All-Star guard out of July's free-agent market, agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN. The extension guarantees Lowry two years and $64 million on the books
Wojnarowski's report states that both the Raptors and Lowry were keen to get a deal done ahead of the new season, and the 33-year-old remains determined to see out his career in Toronto.
While the Raptors lost Leonard and Danny Green in free agency, the presence of Lowry, Marc Gasol, Fred VanVleet, and Pascal Siakam is expected to be enough to put the team in a position to contend in a poor Eastern Conference.