January 26, 2024
According to a report from Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports, 18-year NBA veteran and Villanova product Kyle Lowry -- who was dealt from the Miami Heat to the Charlotte Hornets earlier this week -- is "a real possibility" to land with the Sixers.
Lowry, 37, is expected to be traded again or bought out by a rebuilding Hornets team with little use for his services, and the former NBA champion is expected to land with a title contender.
Lowry, who has averaged 8.2 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 28.0 minutes per game so far this season, would give a major boost to the Sixers' second unit thanks to his excellent ball-handling and passing as well as his reliable three-point shooting. While he is near the end of his career, Lowry remains a viable rotation player for a competitive team like the Sixers.
It may be difficult for the Sixers to acquire Lowry via trade, however, due to his expiring contract worth near $30 million. But if the Hornets fail to reroute Lowry before next Thursday's NBA Trade Deadline, he is expected to be bought out and become an unrestricted free agent.
Due to new rules regarding the league's second tax apron, several contenders other than the Sixers would be barred from pursuing Lowry. A buyout of Lowry would put the Sixers in prime position to get the heady point guard: they would be one of the only contenders able to offer him guaranteed playing time and they are one of the few teams who can offer him above the veteran's minimum contract if they dip into their so-far-unused mid-level exception.
On top of that, Lowry would be offered the chance to reunite with the head coach with whom he won a championship, Sixers first-year head coach Nick Nurse.
