With a back injury to Kyle Lowry that has kept the four-time All-Star out of 11 games since December 1 and the last five in a row, the Toronto Raptors have begun to seek play-making help.

The Sporting News's Sean Deveney reports that the club has started to kick tires around the league for an upgrade in the backcourt.

The Raptors have struggled with Lowry out of the lineup and Fred VanVleet forced to join the first unit with the club's assist percentage dropping to .537, the second-worst mark in the league since December 1 when Lowry first began to miss time.

Considering the haul the Washington Wizards are reportedly asking in return for All-Star guard Bradley Beal (two young players and two first-round picks), Deveney doesn't expect the Raptors to be a realistic suitor because that would mean gutting the team's depth and the Raptors are already without their 2019 first-round pick from the Kawhi Leonard trade with the San Antonio Spurs.

Deveney posits that the team could target Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Jeff Teague, who has lost playing time to the resurgent Derrick Rose.

The 30-year-old Teague is currently sidelined with an ankle injury and has one year and $19 million remaining on his current deal after this season.

In 23 games this season, Teague is averaging 11.6 points, 8.3 assists and 2.3 boards over 31.5 minutes a night.

One of the Dallas Mavericks' two veteran point guards in J.J. Barea and Devin Harris could also be an option for the Raptors, with both free agents at the end of the season.

Atlanta Hawks guard Jeremy Lin might also be a fit for the team. Lin, 30, is an unrestricted free agent at season's end. In 30 games this season, Lin is averaging 10.4 points, 3.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 18.6 minutes a night.

The NBA trade deadline is set for February 7.