After the Cleveland Cavaliers eliminated the Raptors in an unexpected sweep, talk immediately turned to what comes next.

Top player Kyle Lowry, key trade acquisitions Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker and veteran utility piece Patrick Patterson all will enter unrestricted free agency this summer.

Lowry, who, with his black hoodie pulled tight, the aches and pains evident as he moved and grimaced, had responded with a hint of sadness, “Nope,” when asked whether he would suit up for the game. Was it his last game as a Raptor?

“I’ll do everything (meaning, talk, at locker cleanout day on Monday),” Lowry said.

Tucker, who did as good a job as possible getting up on the magnificent LeBron James in the finale, said “of course,” when asked whether he could see a return to the team that originally drafted him.

Patterson, who struggled mightily during the regular season and then even more in the playoffs, spoke in similar fashion, but sounded more like a man resigned to a looming change of address.

“Of course, but at the end of the day guys have said ‘I want to be a Raptor,’ ‘I want to be back’ and at the end of the day they don’t, they go elsewhere,” Patterson said. “So, me saying yes right now really doesn’t matter so we’ll see what happens.”

Patterson, who battled a knee injury during the season said, “I’m fine,” when asked whether he was 100%.

If it doesn’t work out, Patterson said he will treasure his time in Toronto.

“The memories from on the court, off the court, fans, (the Toronto International Film Festival). So many to name right now but all in all, the memories I’ve had in this city with my teammates, the fans and this organization.”

Ibaka doesn’t have Patterson’s nearly four seasons as a Raptor to reflect on when he makes his call.

“I’ll take time and spend time with my daughter (he is a single father), and then we’ll see what happens,” Ibaka said, refusing to delve too far into his future.

But did he like it in Toronto?

“Oh yeah, yeah. I like it of course here. But like I said, everything is not in my power right now and I’m going to think about it (later). Just going to focus on trying to enjoy time with my daughter and then we are going to see what happens.”

So, it’s hurry up and wait time for a Raptors franchise that enters the off-season with far more decisions to make than usual.

INCREDIBLE

Cleveland has now won 11 straight playoff games since getting behind Golden State 3-1 at last year’s Finals. All James did was average 36 points, 5.3 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game and, more amazingly, shoot 57% from the field, 48% on three-pointers and 83.3% from the free-throw line.

Is this the best Ibaka, who lost to James and the Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals, ever seen him play? “Yes ... He’s just the motor of that team. He do everything. He create, he help on defence, he do everything,” Ibaka said.

“It’s tough. For us. LeBron is the kind of player you need your guys to play him 1-on-1, but then, the players they have on the court with him, he just makes it tough,” Ibaka said.

“Even me, for a shot-blocker (he has led the league in blocks three times), I have to think two times before I go (and contest his shots, because it might leave shooters open). So that’s tough.”

Good luck to the rest of the NBA figuring out an answer if James keeps this up.

CHANGE AT POINT

With Lowry out, Dwane Casey opted for rookie Fred VanVleet behind Cory Joseph, instead of Delon Wright, who had played earlier in the series.

“Well, I thought we needed shooting and, no disrespect to Delon — he’s going to be an excellent player in this league — but I thought we needed the threat and the possibility of a three-point shot they way they were double-teaming DeMar,” Casey said.

“Fred missed one badly, but to show who he was he stepped right back and knocked down the next one.That kid is going to be a good player — both Delon and Fred. Both of them are gritty, Fred is a winner, Delon is a winner, but it just felt like we needed another shooter because that is who they were rotating off of and trapping from and we were trying to make them pay.”

Wright said afterward “it is what it is,” but it sounds like he’ll use it as motivation to work on his jump shot.

“Yeah, I’ll be a totally different player physically and mentally coming into next season (because he won’t be hurt coming into it the way he was this season until December). I’ll just put in the work.”

HE’LL BE MISSED

This might have been the last game as a Raptor for Lowry, Tucker, Ibaka and Patterson, it might be for others too. It definitely was it for long-time Raptors media relations guru Jim LaBumbard. LaBumbard has been in his role in Toronto for 17 years, but is leaving to work for the NBA. Through good times and many more dark ones, LaBumbard has consistently been outstanding at his job. The business is changing and many don’t get the job, but LaBumbard always did. He always helped keep the bridge between the players and the media hold up. He made sure the athletes fulfilled their obligations (at a time when many staffs cower) and would appropriately admonish if a media member stepped out of line, earning respect from all corners.

He made my job a lot easier from the day I joined the beat part-time years ago and especially once I started traveling.

He’ll be missed.

Good luck, Lombo.