VanVleet not letting Lowry departure lower his expectations

By IAN HARRISON
Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Raptors guard Fred VanVleet doesn’t worry about players who aren’t teammates anymore, or what can’t be done without them. He just wants to win. Finally back home in Canada after two frustrating seasons disrupted by the pandemic, the Raptors are a far cry from the star-studded team that Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry helped lead to the 2019 NBA Championship. Leonard is long gone and Lowry left this summer in a trade with Miami, but don’t tell VanVleet the Raptors can’t compete.