Responding to a media report that Kyle Lowry has "zero interest" in returning to Toronto, Raptors president Masai Ujiri said Tuesday the All-Star point guard has told him just the opposite.
"He's been a part of our organization, and he says he wants to come back," Ujiri told reporters. "I know, speculation ... with the article. We all have ups and downs. There are times when he's been down, and there are times when we are down. It happens to every team, every player. People go through it."
Ujiri was asked about Lowry after the Toronto Star reported that other teams have been told that Lowry didn't want to remain with the Raptors.
Lowry took to Twitter on Monday to dispute the report.
I dont do this ever but :
— Kyle Lowry (@Klow7) June 20, 2017
Don't believe what you hear !! Especially if it didn't come from me, and that bs FOR SURE didn't come from me..GN
Ujiri said Lowry was at the Raptors' facilities working out earlier Tuesday.
"I know what Kyle has told me," Ujiri said. "Kyle has been here working out -- he actually just left -- so I know what he has been telling me. I can only believe what he tells me, not the famous 'sources.'"
Lowry, 31, declined his 2017-18 player option and will become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He averaged a career-best 22.4 points per game last season and has been an All-Star each of the past three seasons.
The Raptors reached the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, compiling an impressive winning percentage of .622 in the regular season during that span. They lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 Eastern Conference finals and in the conference semifinals this spring.
