Heat's Kyle Lowry Says He'll Retire as Member of Raptors: 'That Is My Everything'

Kyle Lowry signed with the Miami Heat on a three-year, $85 million deal this summer after nine seasons with the Toronto Raptors. 

Lowry told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated on Monday that it was the right decision for him and his family but that he'll still ultimately retire as a Raptor:

"I still text [Toronto general manager Bobby Webster]. I still text [Raptors president Masai Ujiri]. There are no hard feelings. We've all had an open line of communication. And for me, it was very bittersweet because I never wanted to leave. But it was more a sense of: 'All right, my kids are getting older. I want to be somewhere where they can be stable no matter what.'"

"And, yeah, everybody says you could just live in Canada, but you'd have to get a Canadian citizenship to live there. And I don't think I would've lived there for the rest of my life. But I'll be able to go back. That's still home. Like I've said, and I'll say it now, I will sign a one-day contract and I'll retire as a Toronto Raptor. That is my everything."

It's been a good start to the 2021-22 campaign for Lowry and the Heat, who are 11-6 and fourth in the Eastern Conference. The veteran point guard is averaging 12.0 points, 7.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 40.8 percent from the field and 30.9 percent from three. 

The Heat have legitimate title aspirations. Lowry already won one with the 2018-19 Raptors. Getting a second championship ring before retirement matters to him.

"It's what we play for. If you're not playing to win the championship, what are you playing for? Just to be cool and be good?" he said. "We're going to get paid. That's awesome. I love getting paid, but I want to win the championship, and everyone that's won a championship will explain this and understand that this is a high you cannot match."