6. Kyle Lowry
Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors started the 2014 season by hitting the ground running and winning 15 of their first 20 games behind a staunch defense and the inspired play of Lowry, who made his first All-Star appearance in 2015.
Since his arrival in Toronto, Lowry has become one of the most difficult assignments for a defense, with his unconventionally physical style of play, combined with a normally excellent shooting percentage from behind the arc. Unfortunately Lowry’s shooting numbers dipped last season from an excellent 38% from behind the arc in 2013-2014 to a sub-par 33.8% in 2014-2015.
This dip in shooting effectiveness is partly to blame for the Raptor’s end of season dip and eventual playoff dud, as the team couldn’t locate a consistent late-game offensive attack. If Lowry can help to wrangle the Raptor’s offense to more respectable levels, and bump his shooting numbers closer to his historical averages, then he may be higher on this list by the end of next season.
Next:Â John Wall
