The Miami Heat have been rumored to be chasing Kyle Lowry for weeks now. The veteran point guard is one of the best free agents on the market this offseason.
He and Jimmy Butler are close friends and the fit seems ideal. He’s a gritty point guard that can shoot, defend, and playmake.
All of those traits make him sound like the perfect point guard to lead the Miami Heat next season. However, Pat Riley should proceed with caution when it comes to Lowry.
Though he’s an amazing player, the Miami Heat have very specific needs this offseason. Even if he does check most of those boxes, there are other factors that should make the Heat question the decision to sign him.
Reasons the Miami Heat should not sign Kyle Lowry: Age
This one is fairly obvious. Kyle Lowry is 35 years old and will turn 36 in March of next year, so he’s nearing the end of his career.
While he hasn’t shown signs of slowing down quite yet, point guards often don’t age well in the NBA. There have been plenty of instances when a point guard has gone from very productive to very unproductive in a short span of time.
It is more than likely that Lowry is not an All-Star caliber player for the next three years. He’ll be 39 years old by the time a three-year contract is up.
The Miami Heat certainly want to win now, but they have to think about the future as well. Signing someone for a lot of money that is nearing the age of 40 doesn’t seem like a smart move.
Reasons the Miami Heat should not sign Kyle Lowry: Money
This goes along with the age factor. Lowry is reportedly looking for a three-year, $90 million contract this offseason, which is a ton of money to pay someone his age.
Sure, the Miami Heat would add a third All-Star for next year, but who knows how long Lowry can keep up this level of play? By the end of his deal, the Heat will be paying a 39-year-old point guard $30 million.
There are certainly some players who are worth paying. Players such as Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, and Bradley Beal come to mind.
The big difference is that they play a different position and have shown the ability to dominate. Lowry is great, but he’s not someone that can lead a team.
He won the Finals in 2019 with the help of Leonard, but before that he and DeRozan had never even gotten out of the East. He would be a great fit, but the amount of money he wants is absurd.
Some may still hold out hope that Lowry takes a pay cut to stay in Miami, but at this point, that idea seems highly unlikely. There are plenty of other teams who desperately want to sign him.
The Mavericks and Pelicans are two that are avidly going after Lowry this summer. Dallas in particular is seemingly clearing up cap space to offer him a massive deal.
It would be foolish of Pat Riley to not inquire about signing Lowry, but if the reports about how much he is asking for are true, then it simply is not worth it.
Reasons the Miami Heat should not sign Kyle Lowry: Other targets
This comes down to money a bit as well. The Miami Heat need to fill out their roster this offseason, and paying one player $30 million does not help them in that quest.
If Miami does end up paying Lowry the big bucks, they won’t have much room to sign anyone else. In reality, the best plan may be to sign a few quality rotational pieces to help with depth.
With the number of players they currently have on the roster, there’s no one left to come off the bench. After they make a decision on Goran Dragic and Andre Iguodala’s team options they’ll have a few more answers, but still not enough depth.
Instead of spending $30 million in one place, that money could net at least two quality rotational players. If they play their cards right, it could even get them three to four players.
Evan Fournier is one name to keep an eye on. The Frenchman is supposedly looking for a four-year, $80 million deal.
That would leave the Miami Heat with some money left over to spend. It would also make retaining Duncan Robinson a lot easier.
Outside of that, they could sign a few players worth around $5 million. Guys like Alex Caruso and Cory Joseph come to mind.
They don’t have the star appeal of Lowry, but they would improve depth. That should be the Miami Heat’s priority this summer instead of paying Lowry.