The Philadelphia 76ers have effectively shown veteran guard Kyle Lowry the door out of the franchise after their latest move in free agency.
Much to the disappointment of many, the 76ers elected to re-sign veteran free agent Eric Gordon to another one-year deal a few days after he himself opted out of his deal to hit the open market. But while that move is definitely far from ideal, it effectively brings a close to a forgettable chapter — that of Lowry’s stint in Philly.
The 19-year-veteran spent the last one and a half seasons with the 76ers, but things took a really deep nosedive for him during the recently concluded campaign. He still somhow retained his role as a stabilizer off the bench, but in doing so, he managed to turn heads for all the wrong reasons, posting numerous career-worst marks.
With Gordon already back in the fold, the 76ers frankly have no more room for the 39-year-old Lowry, who is evidently primed for retirement pretty soon. In effect, this is akin to Philadelphia’s front office choosing between the two, with Lowry now the one left behind.
The 76ers unofficially kick Kyle Lowry out of the door
Before free agency even began, there were rumors — well-backed rumors — about the 76ers brass and Lowry expressing mutual interest in extending their partnership. The six-time All-Star is not yet retiring, and apparently wants to spend whatever remained in his career playing for his hometown team, and Philly seemed attracted to the leadership he brought on and off the floor.
But with the 76ers drafting another guard in VJ Edgecombe, bringing back Jared McCain from injury, and now, keeping Gordon on deck, there is simply no more reason to add another guard to the roster. Philadelphia is not in a situation, especially financially, where it can afford to pay a veteran who has nothing left in the tank to languish on the bench as a quasi-assistant. Heck, why not just sign him as, say, a player development coach?
Even doubling down on his veteran qualities won’t make him a good get at all. The 76ers do not necessarily have a dearth of veterans, and really, the only thing he has that the other vets do not is his ample experience playing under head coach Nick Nurse.
The Philadelphia 76ers have to make sensible moves going forward, especially with them already starting slow in free agency. After bringing Eric Gordon back, they cannot usher in another retirement-bound veteran in Kyle Lowry. They need actual players who can still play and contribute on the hardwood.