Kyle Lowry has agreed to a sign and trade deal that will send the 36-year-old to the Miami Heat. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news during the early hours of Free Agency.
Kyle Lowry to sign a three-year deal with the Heat via sign-and-trade with Toronto, per @VinceGoodwill
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— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 2, 2021
Miami Heat Land Kyle Lowry in Sign and Trade
The 3-year contract ties Lowry down through to the 2024-25 season where the veteran will turn 39-years of age. He will make approximately $90 million, according to Wojnarowski.
Over his illustrious 15-year NBA career, Lowry has played for the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, and Toronto Raptors. After struggling early in his career, the six-time All-Star found a home in Toronto where he spent nine great seasons. He solidified himself as the greatest Raptor in history following their historic Championship run in 2019.
Despite Toronto’s disappointing 2020-21 campaign, Lowry had a solid season. In 46 appearances, he averaged 17.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.3 assists on 43.6 percent shooting, 39.6 percent from three, and 87.5 percent from the line. Lowry was a part of countless rumors all last season and appeared destined to be dealt with before the deadline. However, General Manager Masai Ujiri couldn’t find a deal that properly represented Lowry’s value, keeping hold of him until the offseason.
Miami Heat Push All the Chips In
For the Miami Heat, they receive a tremendous upgrade at the point guard position. The Heat lost a lot of games when franchise star Jimmy Butler sat, thus Lowry offers Miami a settling presence. Additionally, they can return Tyler Herro back to his more suited sixth man role as the focal point of the offense.
Lowry has expressed a strong interest in playing alongside Jimmy Butler in the past and finally joins him in South Beach. The two veterans form a formidable backcourt that who’s styles appear to complement each other while playing stifling defense.
While the Toronto Raptors and its fan base is sad to see Lowry go, it’s a tremendous win for Miami who are setting themselves up nicely for a deep playoff run.
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