Rumors continue to swirl about Kyle Lowry‘s status with the Raptors. Recently, there were rumblings that the point guard was “telling everybody” that he expected to be traded, though the soon-to-be 35-year-old shot down those reports and the latest development suggests that Toronto could keep him for the remainder of the season.
Many around the league believe Lowry’s salary ($30.5 million) will deter a potential trade, The Athletic’s Sam Amick writes. Lowry will be a free agent at the end of year, so in addition to taking up a large chunk of cap space this year, he’s likely expecting a new contract this summer.
The Sixers have been linked to the NBA champ and there may not be a better fit for the two sides, as I detailed on a recent episode of the Hardwood Knocks podcast. Philadelphia’s biggest need is another playmaker in the backcourt.
Putting together a package for Lowry can be accomplished rather easily for Daryl Morey, though it would require up to four players (a package of Danny Green, Tony Bradley, Mike Scott, and Matisse Thybulle has been the trade thrown around) heading to Toronto, meaning the organization would have to gut the backend of the roster. That doesn’t seem likely (or at least without the Raptors receiving additional compensation), which makes a trade rather difficult.
The Sixers aren’t the only team that’ll have trouble reaching the threshold to match Lowry’s salary without having to send a handful of players back. This doesn’t mean a Lowry isn’t possible but it’s just another obstacle in making a trade.
