Kyle Lowry trade: Charlotte Hornets updated depth chart after sending Terry Rozier to Miami Heat
Trade talks for veteran point guard Kyle Lowry started to become more prominent in the last 24 hours as the Miami Heat look to bolster their roster in hopes of returning to the NBA Finals. After plenty of speculation and uncertainty regarding his future, the Heat finally found a trade partner in the Charlotte Hornets.
As per Shams Charania, the 37-year-old guard and first-round pick is being sent to the Hornets in exchange for the much younger Terry Rozier. With Lowry's struggles this season, Rozier is an upgrade for a team that wishes to keep its championship hopes alive.
With this move, the Hornets have lost their starting shooting guard, and Kyle Lowry is unlikely to fulfill that role. Potential replacements as their starting two-guard are Cody Martin, Nick Smith Jr. or Ish Smith. As for Lowry, they can decide to keep him to serve as a mentor and a backup for LaMelo Ball, who is still young and could use the guidance.
Alternatively, and more likely to happen, the Hornets can opt for a contract buyout, which will allow Lowry to sign with a title contender as a backup and a veteran presence. A move that has become common with veterans who get traded in recent seasons.
Meanwhile, Rozier is expected to play a big role for the Heat, especially on offense.
Also read: Did Kyle Lowry delete Heat from his IG bio & unfollow teammate? Looking at Miami guard's latest move amid trade rumors
Comparing Kyle Lowry and Terry Rozier's stats this season
Kyle Lowry is a seasoned veteran and can be easily considered one of the best point guards in the past decade. He was a six-time All-Star from 2015 to 2020 and was a major piece for the Toronto Raptors' title run in 2019.
However, his numbers have dwindled since joining the Miami Heat in 2021, as expected from a 35-year-old. This season, he has struggled to remain effective as his scoring average has dipped below double figures for the first time since 2009.
He has played in 37 games this season and started in 35. As the Heat's main starting point guard, he averaged 28.0 minutes per game and put up 8.2 points per game on 42.6% shooting from the field and 38.5% from downtown. He has also struggled to find his teammates for easy baskets, only averaging 4.0 assists per game.
On the other hand, Terry Rozier is having his best scoring season. He has started in each of the 30 games he's played and is on pace to have his best scoring season so far. He averaged 23.2 ppg on 45.9 FG% and 35.8% from beyond the arc.
Rozier has also thrived as a distributor as he averaged 6.6 apg for the Hornets.