NBA Trade Rumors: Philadelphia 76ers plan to pursue Kyle Lowry in sign-and-trade deal
Kyle Lowry has previously been the subject of multiple NBA Trade Rumors before the March 25th deadline. The 35-year-old Point-guard was linked to defending NBA Champions LA Lakers, the Miami Heat, and title contenders Philadelphia 76ers.
Lowry led the Toronto Raptors to the championship in 2019 and signed a 1-year contract extension worth $30.5 million in October of the same year. He is heading into unrestricted free agency at the end of the season and is again expected to be part of NBA Trade Rumors.
NBA Trade Rumors: Philadelphia 76ers plan to move for Kyle Lowry in possible sign-and-trade deal
According to Sam Amick and John Hollinger of The Athletic, the Philadelphia 76ers plan on signing Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade during the offseason. Before the 25th March deadline, the Miami Heat were believed to be leading the race to sign the 6-time All-Star. However, they were priced out by the Toronto Raptors and traded for Victor Oladipo instead.
Among the previously interested teams in Kyle Lowry, only the Miami Heat are in a position to sign Lowry outright. The Heat will be around $25 million below the salary cap if they don’t re-sign Victor Oladipo and Kendrick Nunn. They would also need to decline team options for Goran Dragic and Andre Iguodala to reach the figure mentioned above.
On the other hand, the Philadelphia 76ers have a trade exception worth around $13 million and plan to pursue Lowry in a sign-and-trade deal. They acquired George Hill before the 25th March deadline after being priced out of a move for the point guard.
The Toronto Raptors reportedly still hold a high opinion of Lowry, and the 35-year-old has fulfilled expectations this season, despite Toronto's place in the table. The Raptors are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 26-36 record. He has started 44 games and is averaging 15.6 points and 7.3 assists. The Toronto Raptors star-man is expected to have multiple teams interested in his services and is reportedly looking for a 2-year contract worth around $50 million.