The Miami Heat will likely be on the hunt for a new starting point guard this offseason. One name that has come up time and time again is Kyle Lowry.
The 35-year-old guard will be entering his 15th NBA season and would provide some championship experience next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. One NBA writer, in particular, thinks the Heat would be the perfect landing spot for Lowry.
John Hollinger sat down with Eric Koreen to write about the Toronto Raptors’ offseason for The Athletic. In the article, he discusses a potential sign-and-trade that would send Lowry to the Miami Heat.
"“For example, a sign-and-trade of Andre Iguodala, KZ Okpala and Precious Achiuwa (a little less than $20 million in combined salary) for Lowry would extend the Heat’s cap room, and the Raptors would walk away with two young frontcourt players.”"
This kind of trade would be perfect for the Miami Heat. As stated by Hollinger, it would bring in an All-Star caliber player while still maintaining cap flexibility for this offseason.
The deal would also allow them to move on from Goran Dragic, who has a $19.4 million team option this summer. If Dragic wanted to stick around, he could work with the Heat on a new, more team-friendly deal.
Koreen goes on to ask Hollinger what his favorite destination for Lowry is this offseason. In his response, Hollinger names the Miami Heat as his top choice.
"“Obviously sending him home to Philadelphia would be fantastic, but the logistics of getting him there are extremely tricky due to the luxury tax apron. Miami is a much cleaner fit, whether by sign-and-trade or direct signing, and a Lowry-Jimmy Butler tandem would lead the league in orneriness. So Miami is my favorite landing spot.”"
For those wondering, orneriness is another word for meanspirited or stubborn. Basically, Hollinger is referencing the fact that a Butler-Lowry duo would be extremely gritty and fun to watch.
Lowry would provide some solid scoring to a team that desperately needs it. He would also bring his great playmaking skills and hard-nosed defense to the table.
Last season he averaged 17.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.3 assists. He shot 43.6% from the field and 39.6% from three-point range.
Adding a player of Lowry’s caliber would catapult the Miami Heat towards the top of the Eastern Conference. Forming a big three with Lowry, Butler, and Bam Adebayo would be a lethal trio.