NBA Rumors: New York Knicks could be hesitant to pursue Kyle Lowry in free agency
The New York Knicks are expected to pursue top-tier point guards in free agency, and Kyle Lowry is a player they could look to sign as per NBA rumors.
The Knicks have the most projected cap space in the NBA this offseason at roughly $50 million. They are one of the teams that could easily offer Kyle Lowry the biggest contract and outbid offers from other teams interested in his services. But SNY TV's Ian Begley recently reported that the New York Knicks may be hesitant to offer Lowry the kind of deal he is looking for. He said the following:
"The point guard market is going to be a fascinating one. The Knicks are going to be in the middle of it all. It starts with Kyle Lowry because so many teams are going to be coming after Lowry... the Pelicans, the Heat, the Mavericks and others that could offer him big money. It is believed that he is seeking a multi-year deal. That's where it gets interesting for the Knicks because Lowry has been a name that's been under consideration. But they may be hesitant to go 3 years on a player like Lowry because they are looking to maintain a certain amount of cap flexibility moving forward."
Kyle Lowry is one of the most coveted free agent point guards in the market and also the likeliest to switch teams this offseason. He averaged 17.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 5.3 rebounds last season. He shot 39.6% from beyond the arc on 7.2 attempts per contest.
Despite being 35 years old, Lowry will likely command a sum of $25-30 million per annum in free agency as per the latest NBA rumors. His stats justify why that could be a possibility. It also explains the high level of interest teams have been showing to acquire him.
NBA Rumors: Is not going after Kyle Lowry the right decision for the New York Knicks?
The New York Knicks made their first trip to the playoffs in seven years last season. Julius Randle and RJ Barrett are key pieces of their roster. The Knicks are expected to build a team around those two players. Even though they have a lot of cap space available, it only makes sense for them to preserve it and use it wisely.
As per NBA rumors, the New York Knicks have set their sights on a plethora of big-name players like Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal to name a few. Signing Lowry would complicate their ability to pursue comparatively younger superstars like Beal and Lillard for the foreseeable future.
The next step for the New York Knicks is to build a competitive all-around roster that would turn them into perennial playoff contenders. It will take time to build a roster like that. With the right pieces, they could become a force to be reckoned with for years to come.
Spending a huge amount of money on a player like Kyle Lowry, who is entering the twilight years of his career, would restrict the New York Knicks from achieving that. So considering the aforementioned aspects, it is a sensible choice for New York to avoid pursuing Kyle Lowry with his asking price too high at the moment.