In unsurprising news, the Miami Heat are one of the teams at the forefront in the pursuit of Kyle Lowry. The six-time All-Star is expected to leave Toronto this offseason and has a plethora of options to choose from.
The Heat, Mavericks, and Pelicans are the top three teams in the race for Lowry, according to NBA reporter Marc Stein. Each team is reportedly going to make a huge run for Lowry.
He sits atop the priority list of all three teams, according to Stein. However, the Miami Heat do have an advantage in the recruiting process.
Stein reports that Jimmy Butler’s close relationship with the free-agent point guard gives Miami a leg up in the race. The two are great friends, and Butler has spoken about their friendship at length in the past.
Butler was on The Artist and The Athlete podcast a few months ago and spoke about his bond with Lowry. When asked who his favorite player in the league was, his response was Lowry.
"“He’s one of my absolute best friends,” Butler said. “He’s the godfather of my daughter. And it’s just like as competitive as it is, we’re always laughing, we’re always joking around. I would say something else, but then the NBA is going to look at this and be like, ‘Oh my god, he’s tampering.'”"
Based on their on-court playstyles, it’s no surprise that the two are close friends. Both play with a great intensity and consistently leave it all on the court.
Butler joked about tampering in his statement, but Miami Heat fans would much rather call it ‘recruiting.’ Having such a close friendship with lowry is sure to give the Miami Heat a significant advantage in free agency this summer.
Not only would the team chemistry remain in tip-top shape, but adding Lowry would drastically improve the team’s ceiling. His style of play is exactly what the Heat are looking for in a point guard this offseason.
Lowry averaged 17.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.3 assists last year. He shot 43.6% from the field and 39.6% from three-point range.
If Butler could help facilitate a deal, the Miami Heat would be able to form a new big three. A trio of Lowry, Butler, and Bam Adebayo is good enough to compete with any other team in the NBA.
So, it all comes down to whether or not Butler can convince Lowry to come to South Beach. Hopefully, their friendship is enough to close the deal.