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Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry remains a hot name with less than a week until the trade deadline.
The Miami Heat are reportedly interested in the 34-year-old, and if Lowry were to leave the Raptors, the Heat are his preferred destination, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
The Raptors would be asking for either Duncan Robinson or Tyler Herro in return. The Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers are also interested, O’Connor added.
Since Lowry makes $30 million, the Heat would need to send out at least $24 million in expiring salaries, which would likely come in the form of Goran Dragic and Kelly Olynyk. Miami can’t really offer any draft picks of value, as it is committed through 2025 at the earliest, but it does have young prospects to send back. Herro was a breakout star in the Heat’s run to the Finals last season, while Robinson is a soon-to-be restricted free agent who has proven to be one of the league’s best catch-and-shoot players.
The Raptors are in a retooling phase, and trading Lowry would make sense for the future of the franchise if they were able to collect a decent return. Between Herro and Robinson, the better piece would be Herro given that he’s still on a rookie contract whereas Robinson is expected to make nearly $20 million in free agency, although both are quality players. If the Raptors could also snag the Heat’s first-round pick selection in Precious Achiuwa in the deal, it would be a fair return for Lowry who is almost a decade older than most of the Raptors’ other core players.
For Lowry, a trade to the Heat would pair him with his close friend Jimmy Butler, while also giving him another chance to compete for a title. The Raptors have lost seven straight and would need a miracle to even avoid the play-in tournament, while the Heat have surged in the standings thanks to a 14-4 stretch through February and March. The Heat are also pursuing San Antonio Spurs center LaMarcus Aldridge, and by getting Lowry through trade, the Heat would have the inside edge on re-signing Lowry, who also figures to be one of the biggest names on the market this summer when he hits unrestricted free agency.
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