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TORONTO - As Kyle Lowry walked off the podium, on a day in which he cleaned out his locker following a heartbreaking end to his career season, he looked back at the throng of media that had just finished grilling him on his future. Tim Tebow Jersey . "Goodbye, everybody," he shouted. What he really meant was, see you later. With the wounds of a Game 7 loss beginning to heal and the dust settling on the season that was, the attention immediately shifted to Lowry, an impending free agent, and whether or not hell be back in a Raptors uniform next fall. Although the star point guard is prohibited from putting pen to paper until the NBAs moratorium period concludes after the first week of July, there is a resounding belief within Torontos locker room that he is planning on sticking around. It was written on the face of his teammate and good friend DeMar DeRozan as the all-star guard deflected question after question regarding Lowrys future with the subtlety of a hand grenade. Will it be difficult to watch Lowry go through the free agency process? "No, no, no," he said Monday afternoon, accompanied by a big smirk. Why not? "Because," he replied, as reporters began to snicker. "No" How would you feel if, for whatever reason, he wasnt back? "Im not worried about that," DeRozan insisted. Do you know something we dont? "I didnt say that. I didnt say he was, I didnt say he wasnt. I just said Im not worried about it." The 24-year-old spends the bulk of his summers working out in Las Vegas. If that was his poker face, its a good thing he rarely strays from the gym. "Why would he leave?" DeRozan asked in the rhetoric a day earlier. A fair question and one Lowry could not find an answer for when pressed shortly after Torontos one-point loss and first-round elimination to the Brooklyn Nets. "Of course I can see myself back," said the Raptors point guard. "We just went to Game 7, first round. Nobody expected us to be there. Of course I can see that." Coming off a breakout campaign in which he averaged career-highs of 17.9 points and 7.4 assists, the 28-year-old will take his time and weigh his options before making a decision, that much he made clear. "At the end of the day, its still a business and you have to be a businessman for the situation that youre in," he said, "but I am very happy. This has been one of the best seasons Ive had, through and through. Best coaches, teammates, [front office]. Its been great. I am happy. Without a doubt, I can say Im happy." While money and the terms of his next deal should play a big part in the negotiation process that will take place in roughly two months, its hard to put a price on happiness. Thats something that any other suitor may have difficulty matching. Finally, in his eighth NBA season, Lowry started to scratch the surface of what many believed had been there all along. Only, it very nearly played out at Torontos expense. "We knew if we lost [after the Rudy Gay trade] it was going to get blown up," Lowry wisely pointed out. "Thats just the fact that, once we made the trade, if we would have lost a little more, I probably wouldnt be sitting here today, just being honest." As it turned out, the Raptors were his perfect storm. For the first time, he was entrusted to lead a team without looking over his shoulder or pretending to be something hes not. He came to training camp with a rejuvenated approach, in the best shape of his playing career. "The most important difference Ive seen in Kyle is his ability to lose weight," said Patrick Patterson - a teammate of Lowrys in Houston - with a straight face, if you can believe it. "When he was in Houston, he was on the heavy side." He and DeRozan formed the leagues second-highest scoring backcourt, only behind the Golden State Warriors "Splash Brothers" of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. "Why wouldnt you want to be on a team with a guy like that?" he said of DeRozan. Most of all, hes grown up. A year ago he stood in the Raptors practice gym, head down, embarrassed after a lost season and promised to be back, better than ever. "[Im] very disappointed for myself because I know Im a much better player than what Ive shown this year," he had said on Apr. 15, 2013. This version of Lowry, sitting at the front end of the ACC media centre, couldnt have been more dissimilar. Hes channeled the very things that used to work to his detriment - his hardheaded, stubborn nature - to become an indispensable player. As a result, he has a greater understanding and appreciation for whats important to him at this stage of his career. First and foremost, his priority is to win. "I want to be happy," Lowry repeated, identifying overall team situation as the primary factor in making his decision. "I want to win, but its something that me and my agent, we have yet to talk about. But I know I want to win, and thats important to me." How does Toronto stack up? "I love this place," he exclaimed. "I love the situation. Its simple as that." No, Lowrys not going anywhere. The Raptors give Lowry his best opportunity to win and Lowry does the same for the Raptors. They need each other. "Kyles like my biggest brother," said sophomore Terrence Ross. "I look up to him, ask for advice on a lot of different things, on and off the court. Hes hands down the best point guard Ive ever played with. Hes taught me a lot. He motivates everybody. I really hope he comes back. I even talk to him all of the time, saying You got to come back, youre basically the heart of the team, we need you to come back." Lowrys response to Ross frequent sales pitches; "He always played it off like weve got to worry about something else right now." Now, Lowry tops the teams offseason agenda. Hes their highest priority and it wont take long after the clock strikes 12:01 AM on July 1 for Masai Ujiri and agent Andy Miller to sit down and finalize an agreement to keep the star point guard in Toronto long term. "We wouldnt have been here if it wasnt for Kyle," DeRozan said. "Kyle is an elite player," added Patterson, "and as far as him staying here, Im sure a lot of people in Toronto would love that. It all depends on him. But definitely if Toronto wants to get better in the future, have someone to build around and be the key, the glue for the basketball team, what better person to start with than Kyle?" Juan Lagares Jersey . And I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of my experiences gained through International competition and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Seven NHL referees and six linesmen will be assigned upcoming games in Sochi by the IIHF as part of their 28-man officiating roster comprised of 14 refs and 14 linesmen. Michael Conforto Jersey . Weise left the arena with a splint on his wrist and underwent tests to determine whether the tendon is torn. Winger Travis Moen will also miss some time after suffering a concussion in Mondays contest. http://www.officialmetsfanstore.com/mets-pedro-martinez-jersey/ .C. -- Eric Staal kept his focus after his apparent breakaway goal was waived off early in the third period.Jackson, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - John Rollins carded a 4-under 68 in the third round Saturday and he moved two strokes clear of the field at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Rollins finished 54 holes at 14-under-par 202. He will go for his fourth PGA Tour title on Sunday. William McGirt fired a 6-under 66 and he matched the low round of the day. McGirt is alone in second place at minus-12. Jason Bohn (666) and former U. Mookie Wilson Jersey. S. Open champion Lucas Glover (67) are tied for third place at 11-under-par 205. David Toms, who shared the second-round lead with Rollins, managed an even-par 72 at the Country Club of Jackson. He was joined in fifth place at minus-10 by Nick Taylor (70). McGladrey Classic winner Robert Streb (70) stands alone in seventh at 9-under- par 207. MORE TO FOLLOW. 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