Kyle Lowry is teasing something big — we just have no real idea what it is.
While speculation and reports have been rampant that the man dubbed the GROAT — Greatest Raptor of All Time — would be signing a one-day contract to retire with the team, a lot has been going on involving the franchise recently.
Last week, the team agreed to a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers that will bring all-star forward Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto, where he helped lead the Raptors to the 2019 NBA championship.
There also has been talk about plans to honour the presumed retirement of Lowry with perhaps a statue or planning a number retirement ceremony this coming season.
And, on top of all that, rumours have begun to swirl that another former Raptors star could rejoin the team: DeMar DeRozan.
Why did the team call a news conference?
To say that is has been a busy week for the Raptors would be underselling it, which is why an announced news conference has raised further questions.
On Monday afternoon, the Raptors sent out a statement saying that the team would be holding a news conference on Tuesday morning “for a milestone team announcement.”
The event is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. and GM Bobby Webster “will be joined by a special guest” to speak with the media and answer questions.
While the Leonard acquisition is old news by Internet standards, an official reintroduction has yet to be scheduled by the team while the trade could not become official until Monday.
So, who that special guest at the news conference is — Lowry, Leonard or someone else — remains to be seen.
What did Lowry post on Instagram?
Lowry, who has been known for being cheeky on social media, posted a cryptic video on Instagram on Monday afternoon.
In the clip, Lowry is at his home hitting some golf balls on his indoor simulator when his phone begins to receive a flood of messages and phone calls from former teammates — including many ex-Raptors like Damon Stoudamire, Vince Carter and Alvin Williams.
However, it’s only a phone call from DeRozan that prompts Lowry to finally answer his phone.
Lowry’s teaser clip comes just a day after DeRozan was caught with a cheeky social media acknowledgement of his own.
On Instagram, DeRozan liked a post featuring Leonard and himself in Raptors uniforms with the headline ‘Back in the Six’ written behind the duo. The caption of the photo said that there was “growing buzz” that DeRozan could return to Toronto.
The rumour mill already had been high gear regarding DeRozan’s future after reports that his team, the Sacramento Kings, were looking to move the 36-year-old swing man.
On Monday afternoon, ESPN’s Sham Charania reported that, after failing to find a suitable trade involving DeRozan, the team will waive the six-time all-star, making him “one of the top free agents.”
According to reports, DeRozan should have several suitors on the open market including the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers and, of course, the Raptors.