by Daniel Johnson
February 11, 2024
Kyle Lowry has agreed to a contract buyout, clearing the way for him to play for his hometown Philadelphia 76ers.
After coming to the Charlotte Hornets as part of the trade that sent Terry Rozier and a first round pick to Miami, NBA star Kyle Lowry has agreed to a contract buyout, clearing the way for him to play for his hometown Philadelphia 76ers.
As CBS Sports reported, since the Hornets are currently rebuilding, they didn’t see a need to retain Lowry. In 2021, the 76ers pursued him at the trade deadline, but were unable to secure a deal. A hype video featuring Lowry, who played his high school ball in Philly before going on to a decorated college basketball career at Villanova has been making the rounds on Twitter/X. Fittingly, the video opens up with Skylar Grey’s version of “I’m Coming Home” while featuring highlights from Lowry’s high school games and a shot of the Wells Fargo Center, where the Sixers play.
The Sixers, who are currently without the services of MVP candidate Joel Embiid due to a knee surgery, are hoping the recent acquisitions of Buddy Hield and Lowry can help keep them afloat in the Eastern conference while they wait for their franchise player to return. Though Lowry, at 37 years of age, is well past his prime, he should be able to provide defense and leadership to the team’s second unit. Despite only averaging 8.5 points on the season, his lowest total since 2011, he remains an efficient shooter, posting a three-point percentage of 38.5% for the Miami Heat.
The move also reunites Lowry with head coach Nick Nurse, with whom he won an NBA championship in 2019 while both were members of the Toronto Raptors. According to NBC Sports Philadelphia, Lowry has great respect for Nurse, as he told reporters in 2022, “Nick was the (Raptors assistant coach) I shot with, worked out with; he was in the system when I first got here.”
The player added, “So me and him had a great relationship prior to him even being the head coach. We always had this same type of mantra about winning … and trying to be innovative. Nick’s a friend of mine, and we got closer and closer. And as the years went on, we trusted each other more and more.”
It remains to be seen exactly how much playing time Lowry will get, as the team also has Cameron Payne as well as Terquavion Smith who is signed on a two-way deal, which gives the team more flexibility about how to employ Lowry in their lineups.
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