The Sixer Sense
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NBA Rumors Kyle Lowry Great Fit for Philadelphia 76ers

By Ethan Piechota

Jan 18, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) controls the ball against Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel (4) and guard T.J. McConnell (1) and forward Ersan Ilyasova (7) during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) controls the ball against Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel (4) and guard T.J. McConnell (1) and forward Ersan Ilyasova (7) during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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NBA rumors have begun to link Philly-native and current Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry to the Philadelphia 76ers once more.  The 76ers are expected to pursue Lowry this summer in free agency.

Philadelphia 76ers President Bryan Colangelo was formerly the general manager of the Toronto Raptors.  Ever since Colangelo assumed the reigns of the Philadelphia 76ers, there have been suspicions that he would eventually turn his attention to his former players.

Now, it appears that may be the case.  According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, the Philadelphia 76ers will “make a run” at point guard Kyle Lowry this summer. Rich Hoffman of phillyvoice.com quoted Lowe and Brian Windhorst in a recent podcast in his article “Let’s talk about the Sixers and Kyle Lowry.”

"Lowe: (brings up Lowry)Windhorst: I’ll tell you who is going to sign him: Philly.Lowe: Look, it ain’t that hard to connect the dots. He’s from there, Bryan Colangelo’s there, they need a point guard.Windhorst: They have more money than they know what to do with.Lowe: I think they will absolutely make a run at him."

Lowry Ties to Philadelphia

Lowry attended the University of Villanova and has ties to current 76ers general manager Bryan Colangelo. This season, Lowry averaged 22.4 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, and 7 assists per game. He also shot a very respectable 41% from three on the year.

Lowry is a veteran to the league at 31 years old. He has never been known for being unbelievably athletic, and is a smaller point guard at 6’0″ flat. Lowry is a three time NBA All-Star, and is a legit point guard in the league.

Kyle Lowry Fits Sixers

Philadelphia 76ers 2016 first overall pick Ben Simmons is expected to handle the ball and play a “point-forward” role for the Sixers when he debuts next year for the team. How does Kyle Lowry fit into that equation?

Lowry can knock down the three. He spaces the floor, defends opposing point guards, and serves as a secondary playmaker and ball-handler to Simmons. This is extremely important to a young team such as the 76ers. Adding Lowry could make the 76ers a playoff team as soon as next year. Having his veteran leadership and playoff experience would be vital for the young team.

In short, Kyle Lowry is a really good player. His age and the cost of his contract may cause concerns, but is it truly a problem for the cap-abundant 76ers?

Lowe had connected Lowry to Philadelphia in December 2016.   Those rumors have reignited in the wake of the Toronto Raptors poor showing against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Lowry Last Hurrah

Lowry is most likely looking for a final major deal in his career.  He may land a three or four year deal if he chooses to sign in Philly. While he may have setbacks defensively and with his explosiveness due to age, he still possesses that uncanny ability to distribute the ball, knock down shots, and play hard.

Eventually, the 76ers will have to pay Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, and Ben Simmons when their rookie contracts expire. Around that time, Lowry’s deal may be coming to an end in Philadelphia. Why not take a chance on a guy like Lowry that could be key in the playoffs throughout his contract years ?

Kyle Lowry is a scrappy, hard-working, Philly-raised, blue-collar, and fun-to-watch point guard.  He will quickly become a fan favorite if Philadelphia successfully lands him in free agency. He loves his hometown, and has ties to Colangelo, who traded for him back during his time with the Raptors. Signing Lowry would just make sense.

Next: 2017 NBA Lottery: Philadelphia 76ers Probabilities

There is no doubt in my mind that when free-agency opens this summer, the Philadelphia 76ers will make every effort to bring home Kyle Lowry.  If you don’t believe us, just ask Zach Lowe