Kyle Lowry: 2013 trade to Knicks was ‘done’

The Knicks and Raptors engaged in protracted trade discussions about Kyle Lowry during the 2013-14 season.

But the deal reportedly fell through when Knicks owner James Dolan – fearful of getting fleeced again by Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri, who dealt New York both Andrea Bargnani and, while running the Nuggets, Carmelo Anthony – intervened.

Just how close was the trade?

Lowry, via Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today:

“That deal was done,” Lowry told USA TODAY Sports about a trade that would’ve sent him to the Knicks, and the Raptors would have received Metta World Peace, Iman Shumpert and a future first-round draft pick.

Lowry, who was just entering stardom at that time, has continued to progress. He’s one of the NBA’s top guards – precisely the type of point guard New York still needs.

Just because the Knicks traded first-round picks too freely previously doesn’t mean they should have stopped dealing them. Lowry would have been well worth it.

Dolan really out-thought himself on this one.