There’s plenty of reasons why the Philadelphia 76ers should pursue Kyle Lowry
Losing out on James Harden hurts, but as I recently wrote, the Philadelphia 76ers could still pursue All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry. However, I don’t feel like I did a good enough job explaining the reasons why a trade for Lowry makes sense for the Sixers. There are at least three reasons why trading for the Toronto Raptors point guard is a smart move for Philly.
3 reasons to trade for Lowry: Availability
Let’s start with the fact that he’s available. I did touch on this in the previously mentioned article, but let me expound a bit more on this point.
The Raptors are bad right now. They hold a 4-8 record which is 13th in the Eastern Conference and 27th in the whole NBA. They are a game full game out record-wise from being the eighth seed this year in the East, so hope isn’t technically lost.
“Knowing where the Raptors are as an organization and knowing they have to go through a retooling of their roster is key when approaching a Lowry trade.”
Yes, they have enough talent to get back into the bottom half of the playoffs, but not much more. This is especially true because of the losses of Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka this offseason, as I wrote on before. Their replacements in Aron Baynes and Alex Len haven’t filled in their spots to nearly the same level.
Toronto’s president of basketball operation Masia Ujiri isn’t foolish. He knows Lowry is on an expiring deal and he could get a solid return for the point guard. Getting players and picks to help rebuild the future is wise for the Raptors considering this club at best looks like a first round exit in the playoffs.
Knowing where the Raptors are as an organization and knowing they have to go through a retooling of their roster is key when approaching a Lowry trade.
3 reasons to trade for Lowry: His fit
For this season, Lowry is averaging 18.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.1 steals, while converting 37.5 of his 3-pointers. Those are some impressive stats, but that alone doesn’t explain why a player who is performing at an All-Star level would be a good fit on the Philadelphia 76ers.
When I wrote about Lowry’s fit in the past, I was very vague on the subject. Below was all I had to write on the subject.
"“He [Kyle Lowry] can also fit next to [Ben] Simmons and [Joel] Embiid seamlessly. He can play on or off the ball. He would also allow Simmons to play more of a Draymond Green role, which is the type of player he appears he’s going to become at this point in his career.”"
While that’s a good starting point, there’s so much more that could be said about his potential fit with this roster. For sake of argument, let’s just focus on his fit with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
Starting with Simmons, Lowry will allow Simmons to do something that he really hasn’t done up to this point in his career, not be a point guard. Simmons wasn’t a point guard in college, he was only forced to be one because when he first started playing Markelle Fultz was injured and T.J. McConnell isn’t a starter in the NBA.
It’s clear more than ever this season that Simmons is a playmaking power forward versus a true NBA point guard. Getting one with the resume of Lowry would force Simmons to play off the ball and develop other areas of his offensive play.
On the flip side, Lowry has played with other players that need the ball in their hands like Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan, so playing alongside Simmons shouldn’t be too much of an adjustment for the point guard.
Let’s not forget Lowry’s fit next to Embiid. Lowry has played with low post scores before in Jonas Valanciunas and Gasol. Neither of those two big men are nearly as skilled as Embiid is and Lowry should only help the Sixers’ MVP candidate look even better. Lowry should be able to find Embiid in his spots, while also spacing the floor for the big man.
The veteran point guard clearly fits with the team’s young stars, which is why this trade should make sense from the 76ers perspective.
3 reasons to trade for Lowry: Brooklyn Nets
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Part of the reason the Sixers should target Lowry is because they lost Harden to the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets themselves have become a legit contender now and as a result, the Sixers need to upgrade their roster.
Brooklyn has Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant and outside of depth at the center position, they are a pretty well-balanced roster with some legit role players. If the Sixers want a chance of getting out of the second round of the playoffs, they need to add an All-Star like Lowry.
Right now, the Sixers don’t have enough offense and shot-creating to even try to keep pace with the Nets. Embiid is an elite player and Shake Milton is starting to come into his own, but players like Tobias Harris, Seth Curry, and Tyrese Maxey can’t be relied upon to be creators in a playoff setting.
Lowry has proven that he is a reliable playoff performer and would be a player the 76ers can turn to finish games and Philly needs that type of player on the roster.
Lowry is an All-Star level player who can help elevate the Philadelphia 76ers to contenders in the East, who fits seamlessly with their two stars, and who is most likely available.