Chatter about the possibility of free agent point guard Kyle Lowry joining the Heat has increased significantly since the team announced this afternoon that it has picked up Goran Dragic‘s $19MM+ team option for 2021/22.
In the wake of the Dragic decision, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski stated (via Twitter) that the move was considered a possible precursor to a sign-and-trade deal that would send Lowry from the Raptors to the Heat, while Marc Stein (Twitter link) referred to Miami as the “favorite” to land the 35-year-old point guard.
Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link) also hears that the Heat are viewed as the frontrunners for Lowry, and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald tweets that there’s “growing optimism” a deal will come together.
Meanwhile, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link) outlines a pretty specific scenario in which Dragic and Precious Achiuwa would be outgoing pieces in a sign-and-trade for Lowry, who would receive a three-year contract starting at about $26MM. Dragic would subsequently be bought out by the Raptors, Winderman adds. Technically, sign-and-trade discussions about a free agent aren’t permitted by rule until Monday night, but Winderman’s tweet sounds like more than just speculation.
Still, while momentum appears to be in Miami’s favor for now, we’re still 24 hours away from free agency and the Lowry sweepstakes certainly aren’t over yet. As Wojnarowski notes (via Twitter), the Raptors would have to be satisfied by the picks and/or young players they get for Lowry in order to accept a sign-and-trade deal, since they could open up a chunk of cap room by simply letting him walk.
The Pelicans, Mavericks, and Sixers all remain in the hunt for the six-time All-Star too, says Chiang. However, the Heat may be Lowry’s top choice for a handful of reasons, including his friendship with Jimmy Butler and his respect for the organization, per Jackson.
That number is pretty specific, and is the literal exact number I’ve talked about since before the trade deadline…but what’s weird about that is it also would have fit directly into their cap space if they turned down the option on Dragic, and they could then use their bird rights to keep him…so I’m a little confused at the moment, but I did predict there would be a significant amount of turnover, and some confusing moves going down, so I guess it cant really be judged until everything else happens
Back of the napkin, they’d have to renounce all their cap holds to get to 26 mm, including Nunn and Robinson. Not sure they care about the rest of them (VO, Ariza, Iggy too). They would also lose the Full MLE and the BAE, and have only the Room Exception.
I’m pretty sure they could still retain cap holds for Robinson and Nunn, and still have that space, but I could be mistaken. The other other thing was potentially let Nunn go, plus renounce yurtseven and Bjelica, and older cap holds, and resign Dragic to a lower deal earlier on, but not sure where that would leave them space wise. I havent looked in a while, but thought I remembered that leaving them with enough room…but ya, that also would rely on signing Dragic to that amount, and I guess it’s better for Deagic to guarantee his money and try to get him somewhere as a thank you, and hopefully see each other again down the line, hopefully as early as next year
O my bad…I think I was thinking in the sense they were to use Iguodala’s salary in a trade instead of Dragic…I havent slept much the last few days lol
Achiuwa is a great pickup for Raptors. They were never bringing Lowry back. Sign n trade is only way Heat were going to get a good player. Also works for Heat. I like Achiuwa a lot. You have to give up something to get something. Dragic gets bought out. I can see all contenders coming for him. Start of FA, here we go. Get ready everyone.
If Miami was willing to do and a S&T now for Lowry why not at last season TD?
B/c Toronto wanted Duncan Robinson with Tyler Herro
Lowry – MIA
GSW 2022, 2023 1st – TOR
Wiseman – TOR
Dragic – GSW
Siakam – GSW
Would work well for all, but Lacob is dumber at basketball than most people, so…
lol are u dumb? how does GSW only send out Wiseman and picks and net Dragic and Siakam
Because that’s what they are worth? Who’s the dumb one again? Muting all fools in 2021….
A bonafide second option on a championship team, an all star, most improved player, who averaged 20 points and 5 assists in a “down” season, is worth WAY more than a couple of firsts and Wiseman. I would tend to side with Dr Seuss’ analysis on this one..
Dragic is a year removed from leading a team to the NBA finals (he was the Heat’s top scorer in the bubble)…. Siakam is better than Dragic… seriously Marty.. are you high? haha
The Warriors fan thinks his team can get both Dragic and Siakam for Wiseman and a couple of first round picks. Then he says their owner is the dumb one at basketball.
He’s not a fan. He’s a 55 yr old child. Who only sees his vision of things. Incapable of having a conversation. Much less a debate over players. I’ve seen more players going to Warriors. Than OKC has picks. Simply cause they are the Warriors. No basketball IQ.
You have a bizarre obsession with GS, wallywood. Really strange.
Always risky to base some your hopes on older guys. Either the wear or the tear comes knocking. Wear can be dealt with via load management but the tear is unpredictable but more likely with age. Even LeBron is succumbing to this. Will Lowry defy the odds one more time?
I would bet this is just a bad rumor. Raptors will be smart to do better things with their cap space than to take on a year of Dragic. Achiuwa is a nice piece but does he fill a great need for Raptors?
Seems everyone has stuff to throw out as potential sign and trade ideas this time of year, but most of them are bad fictions.
I missed part about the buyout, but wouldn’t they still have to deal with stretching the salary on their cap? Achiuwa better be worth that money for them to bother with this rather than finding a way to spend more wisely.
Tampering by the Heat. They must be penalized 3 first round picks at Minimum!
And your proof is what exactly?
Who are the tampering with.. the Raptors on a possible sign and trade? lol
Lowry looking at 26M… Melo must be like “this dude?”
The Raps would get a steal if they could get Achiuwa and a first. They could potentially flip Dragic to a team like the Mavs or Pels who miss out on Lowry for another decent young guy. Pels for maybe Nickel Alexander-Walker or the Mavs for Tyler Bey or Tyrell Terry. Dragic even tho injured with some frequency the last 2 years is a good sometimes great bench piece. And a good Vet for a young team to have.
Dragic is a good sometimes great starting PG.. he was the Heat’s leading scorer in the bubble. I will miss him greatly.. but also hold out some small hope he gets bought out and ends up back in black and red
They actually wouldnt be able to do that