NBA Trade Rumors: Kyle Lowry's agent refutes report linking his client to Philadelphia 76ers
Much was speculated about Kyle Lowry's future after NBA trade rumors emerged yesterday linking him with a move to the Philadelphia 76ers. All the resultant furor has forced his agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports and Entertainment, to comment on the same publicly.
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported yesterday that Kyle Lowry would prefer a move to the Sixers. Bartelstein turned it down during an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
"There was a story about how he is pushing to go to Philadelphia, that's just not true," Bartelstein said. "That story came out today, and so I had to get on the phone with Masai [Ujiri] and Bobby [Webster] and make sure they knew that certainly wasn't coming from us."
The original report from Keith Pompey stated that if a trade were to happen, Kyle Lowry would prefer the Philadelphia 76ers. It's easy to understand how this could be misconstrued as Lowry forcing a trade himself, and Mark Bartelstein's statement is an attempt to clarify the situation.
NBA Trade Rumors: Agent's claim does not kill the possibility of Kyle Lowry joining Philadelphia 76ers
Even though Mark Bartelstein has mentioned that Kyle Lowry is focused on helping the Toronto Raptors win, you can't rule out the possibility of a trade entirely. The NBA trade deadline of March 25 is still nearly a month away and a lot can change during this period, including the front office's stance regarding Lowry.
Philly is Kyle Lowry's hometown and would be the perfect landing spot for him. The Sixers also have the assets that the Raptors will likely want in a deal for the veteran. The 2019 NBA Champions can potentially land rookie Tyrese Maxey or sophomore Matisse Thybulle and a first-round pick in return for Lowry.
No trade talks are going on between the two franchises as is implied from Bartelstein's comments, but things could be rather different in the near future.
Also read: NBA Trade Rumors - 3 Reasons why the Philadelphia 76ers should trade for Kyle Lowry