The Sixer Sense
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Why Philadelphia pursuing Kyle Lowry may be a good idea

By Daniel Stets

Feb 19, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Eastern Conference guard Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors (7) on the court in the 2017 NBA All-Star Game at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Eastern Conference guard Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors (7) on the court in the 2017 NBA All-Star Game at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kyle Lowry’s future in Toronto may be in doubt, and the Philadelphia 76ers could capitalize.

Ever since the Raptors got swept at the hands of LeBron James, there have been rumors that Kyle Lowry may have interest in joining the Philadelphia 76ers. I originally brushed these rumors off. Why would Kyle Lowry want to come to Philly? This team isn’t good (yet). Toronto is a proven winner. However, when I thought about it some more, it actually made some sense.

Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers /

Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid was incredible last year. According to Basketball Reference, he averaged 20.2 points per game, in 25.4 minutes per game, while sustaining a 58.4 true shooting percentage. Per 100 possessions, with Embiid on the court, Philadelphia had an offensive rating of 103 and a defensive rating of 102. The significance of this is that Joel Embiid is already an elite NBA player.

The problem with Embiid is, as we all know, he has played 31 games in three seasons. The logic behind a Kyle Lowry signing should be this: we have no idea if Embiid will even be in the league five years from now. We should consider the prime of his career to be now, not in two or three or four years.

If Philadelphia was able to pull off a Paul George or Jimmy Butler trade on draft night, they’d go into the offseason with two elite players in their prime. This fact should entice Kyle Lowry to come to Philly. Think about how good a team with Lowry, Butler or George, and Embiid is. There is no reason that team can’t at a minimum make the eastern conference finals next year.

So what’s the downside? Embiid gets hurt, again. Philadelphia trades for Paul George (the price for George is probably cheaper than Butler). George walks this summer to either team up with LeBron, (which is not something I would rule out). Or more likely, he leaves for the Lakers. Philadelphia traded high value assets for a guy who walked in a year. Then they have to decide what the heck to do with an injured Embiid in restricted free agency.

Related Story: Sixers Free Agency -- The Kyle Lowry Dilemma

What’s the upside? Philadelphia wins in seven over Cleveland in the eastern conference finals, in one of the best conference finals in years. Embiid unseats The King. Philadelphia loses in 4 or 5 to Golden State, because, let’s be honest, they’re still probably not beating Golden State.

Signing Kyle Lowry wouldn’t be a mistake, if Philadelphia can first trade for another star, like Butler or George. If Philadelphia can’t pull off a trade for an established star before free agency, signing Kyle Lowry wouldn’t be a good idea.

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Philadelphia should either push all of their chips to the middle of the table, and take their shot at making the finals with a healthy Embiid. Or they should continue to sign free agents to modest short term deals. This strategy would require Philadelphia to continue to build their team through the draft, while maintaining maximum salary cap flexibility. There isn’t a wrong answer to this question, it simply depends on how good one thinks a big three of Lowry, George or Butler, and Embiid is, and how confident one is in Embiid staying healthy long term.