3 Players the Heat would never bring back and (why)

Kyle Lowry

The Heat made a win-now free agent decision in 2021 by acquiring Kyle Lowry. The team was thrilled to bring a multi-time All-Star and former champion aboard, with title expectations immediately following. It wound up not working out that way, as Lowry’s impact never became what the team expected. 

He was a crucial part of the roster in his first season in South Beach, leading the team to the East’s number one seed as the starting point guard. His ability to run the offense at an elite rate provided a great impact. That slowly became the opposite, as age and injuries led to a drastic decline in Lowry’s game. 

In the 2022-23 Finals run, Lowry was demoted to a bench spot. He played well in that role, but it wasn’t ideal to have a $30 million player coming off the bench. Now as a member of the Sixers, his declining play can be more justified as a now vet-minimum player on their roster. 

His last Heat half-year during this past season saw Lowry go from starter, to bench role to virtually unplayable… while expressing disagreement in Spoelstra’s decision to demote him again.