The Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat have both gotten off to a slow start to the 2020-21 NBA season. Both teams could benefit from reconfiguring their roster both for the immediate future and their long-term outlook. Could this involve Kyle Lowry?
According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the Miami Heat have ‘long shown interest’ in Raptors star Kyle Lowry. That will be something to watch ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
“Lowry’s age and the length of his contract may limit his most likely suitors to championship contenders,” Fischer wrote. “And while they’ve been mired in their own slow start, the Heat still hold title aspirations and have long shown interest in Lowry. ‘He’s a very Miami-type player,’ another Eastern team official said. ‘Gritty, tough.’”
With the hefty investment the Raptors made in Fred VanVleet with a four-year, $85 million contract extension, it makes sense to move on from Kyle Lowry. He has earned substantial short-term contract extensions in recent years and continuing that trend will keep Toronto stagnant.
It would be better served for Kyle Lowry to head to a new destination if he desires to contend for another championship. While the Raptors were a feel-good story last year after Kawhi Leonard’s departure, it’s abundantly clear they can’t contend without a superstar and one doesn’t seem to be walking through that door anytime soon.
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The best course of action for the Raptors would be capitalize on Lowry’s value now and re-tool around Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Fred VanVleet as the focuses of the roster. Losing key free agents like Kawhi Leonard, Serge Ibaka, and Marc Gasol has proven to be too much to overcome.
The Miami Heat could benefit substantially from pursuing a trade with the Raptors for Kyle Lowry. He fits the hard-hat mentality the team has while also adding a needed shot creation and facilitation element to their half-court offense.
