Despite his status as one of the Toronto Raptors’ most decorated players in the franchise’s history, Kyle Lowry has been mentioned in numerous trade rumors over the last two seasons. With this year’s trade deadline just one month away, talk has again started regarding the veteran point guard’s future in Toronto, and as a new report suggests, there are three teams that might be in the running for his services if he gets traded — the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Clippers.
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NBA Trade Rumors: Sixers Reportedly Lead Kyle Lowry’s Top Three Possible Landing Spots
Lowry Reportedly Would ‘Like To Be In Philly’
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On Thursday, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that per his sources, the Sixers, Heat, and Clippers are looking like potential landing spots for Lowry in the event the Raptors decide to trade him to a “preferred destination” before the March 25 deadline.
Specifically, Pompey cited one source who claimed that Lowry “would like to be in Philly,” and that the Raptors might be able to work out a deal with the Sixers. This, however, might require Philadelphia to pay a steep price, including young players, future draft picks, and veterans on expiring contracts, considering Lowry will earn $30 million in the 2020-21 campaign.
Could Lowry End Up With The Hometown Team?
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As further explained, a move to the Sixers will allow Lowry to suit up for his hometown team. The point guard, who turns 35 years old in March, played his high school and college ball in the City of Brotherly Love, getting picked in the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft after two years at Villanova.
Per Basketball-Reference, he remains a productive member of the Raptors’ rotation, with averages of 18.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 26 games this season.
Lowry’s Best NBA Years Were With The Raptors
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Out of his 15 NBA seasons, Lowry has spent the last nine of them in Toronto, where he made six consecutive All-Star appearances from 2015 to 2020. Teaming with Kawhi Leonard, he helped the Raptors win their first-ever league championship in 2019, where they defeated the defending champs, the Golden State Warriors, in six games.
At the moment, Lowry is in third place on the Raptors’ all-time scoring list and only ranks behind Chris Bosh and DeMar DeRozan in that category.
Raptors Want Lowry To Play For A Championship Contender
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While a Philadelphia homecoming might appear to be the best outcome for Lowry, Pompey noted that the situation is still fluid. The Raptors, who rank fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 16-17 record, got off to a slow start in 2020-21, and they reportedly want to reward the point guard for his “years of service” by trading him to a more plausible championship contender. This, the writer added, may be where the Heat and Clippers might become involved as alternate destinations for Lowry.
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