Kyle Lowry Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers In Mix For Kyle Lowry?

March 24th, 2021 at 2:28pm CST by Luke Adams

After mentioning the usual suspects – the Heat and Sixers – in his look at potential Kyle Lowry suitors during today’s Woj & Lowe Trade Deadline Special on ESPN, Adrian Wojnarowski offered up an interesting wild-card trade destination for the Raptors guard. According to Wojnarowski, the Lakers shouldn’t be ruled out as a possible suitor for Lowry.

While the idea of Lowry teaming up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in Los Angeles for a Lakers team looking to defend its title is a fascinating one, it will be tricky to make a deal work.

To match Lowry’s $30.5MM salary, the Lakers would almost certainly have to include two veteran rotation players from the trio of Dennis Schröder, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell. That lines up with a report from Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who says (via Twitter) that the Lakers became open to discussing those three players in trades as of Monday night.

If the Raptors are moving Lowry though, it’s probably safe to assume it won’t be for win-now veterans like Schröder, Caldwell-Pope, and Harrell. At least one of Talen Horton-Tucker and the Lakers’ 2027 first-round pick would also presumably need to be included to get Toronto’s attention.

While a deal along those lines could technically work, it’s hard to find a combination that makes sense for both teams. As such, Lowry ending up with the Lakers is probably a long shot unless perhaps they can get a third team involved.

Los Angeles’ other team also reportedly has interest in Lowry, but matching the point guard’s cap number and offering up enough assets to pique Toronto’s interest would be a major challenge for the Clippers as well.

Trade Rumors: Celtics, Raptors, Herro, McGee, Mavs

March 24th, 2021 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Reports earlier this week stated that acquiring Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier from the Magic could cost the Celtics a package that includes Marcus Smart and two first-round picks. However, a source tells Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter link) that Boston is currently offering a first-round pick and a young player (not Smart) for Gordon, and are trying not to include a second first-rounder in a potential deal.

Murphy’s report doesn’t mention Fournier, which makes sense — if the Celtics want both Gordon and Fournier, a higher-priced player like Smart would need to be included for salary-matching purposes, since only one of those players would fit into Boston’s $28.5MM traded player exception. But if the C’s are just targeting Gordon, salary-matching wouldn’t be necessary.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Raptors are continuing to push for Tyler Herro‘s inclusion in any trade with the Heat involving Kyle Lowry, reports Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Jason Dumas of KRON4 News says (via Twitter) that the Sixers view acquiring Lowry as a long shot.
Several contending teams are in the mix for Cavaliers center JaVale McGee, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who says there’s a “strong sense” that a deal will be made by Thursday’s deadline.
Appearing today on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Mavericks president Donnie Nelson suggested that a big deadline splash is unlikely for his team, as Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News tweets. “Don’t get your hopes up,” Nelson said. “We like this young crew.” Head coach Rick Carlisle has also expressed skepticism that the Mavs will make any significant moves, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

Roster Transformation Looming For Raptors?

March 24th, 2021 at 6:48am CST by Luke Adams

With less than 36 hours to go until the 2021 trade deadline, the Raptors are “hurtling toward a roster transformation,” according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that the team is engaged in multiple trade discussions involving Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell.

We covered some of the latest Lowry and Powell rumors late last night, noting that Lowry will reportedly seek a two-year contract worth at least $50MM from whichever team lands him, while Powell seems increasingly likely to be moved.

Wojnarowski confirms that Powell will probably be dealt, suggesting the question now is more about which of his “dozen or so” suitors will land him. Toronto could go in a number of different directions on the Powell front, depending on whether the team prioritizes young players or draft picks, Wojnarowski suggests. The odds of a Lowry trade are also gaining traction, Woj adds.

The Sixers and Heat have been frequently cited as the most likely landing spots for Lowry, but there are a handful of other teams involved as well, according to Wojnarowski, who says the Raptors are taking into consideration the veteran guard’s wishes as they consider possible scenarios. Lowry has an “open mind” about several possible destinations, sources tell ESPN.

Here’s more on the Raptors’ top two trade candidates:

The Sixers have discussed separate deals with the Raptors involving both Lowry and Powell, reports Wojnarowski.
In a deal with the Sixers for Lowry – not Powell – the Raptors would want at least one of Tyrese Maxey or Matisse Thybulle, but Philadelphia appears unwilling to part with Thybulle, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype has heard similar rumblings, writing that Maxey is among the assets available in a package for Lowry, while the Sixers are reluctant to part with Thybulle. Some executives around the league believe the inclusion of Thybulle – who has drawn interest from multiple teams – could swing the Lowry sweepstakes, Scotto adds.
One league executive thinks a package of Maxey, a first-round pick, and matching salaries (Danny Green, Tony Bradley, and Mike Scott) could get a Lowry deal done, assuming the Raptors can open up roster slots for all the incoming players, Pompey writes.
Tyler Herro is the sticking point in a potential Lowry-to-the-Heat trade, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). Toronto wants Herro, who still has two years left on his rookie contract after this season, but Miami is more comfortable parting with RFA-to-be Duncan Robinson, Grange explains.

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Randle, Johnson, Payne

March 23rd, 2021 at 11:09pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

34-year-old Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry is hoping to ink at least a two-year, $50MM contract this summer, no matter where he lands after the trade deadline, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Heat and the Sixers, at present, are the two clubs most often connected to Lowry in trade chatter. Though Lowry is not eligible for an in-season contract extension, he may be hoping for a wink-wink understanding from whichever team deals for him. Nothing could be officially agreed upon until free agency commences this summer.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that the Raptors are engaged in potential trade conversations for both Lowry and Toronto shooting guard Norman Powell, and that these chats may last up till the Thursday trade deadline. Woj adds that the 76ers are looking at other guard options beyond Lowry or Powell, including Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and injured Thunder guard George Hill.

The Raptors, losers of nine straight, appear fairly set on dealing Powell, rival team executives have relayed to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter). Powell has an $11.6MM player option for the 2021/22 season that he has outperformed with his play this season.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

At the end of a 101-100 overtime defeat to the Sixers, Knicks All-Star forward Julius Randle got into a verbal altercation with a referee. The league fined Randle $15K for the incident, according to an official NBA press release.
Nets reserve guard Tyler Johnson could see expanded minutes with All-Star guard Kyrie Irving and role-playing guards Landry Shamet and Spencer Dinwiddie all unavailable, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. All-Star guard James Harden, who was listed as questionable by Lewis with a neck injury, is playing through it to thrilling effect tonight against the Trail Blazers, per Malika Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link). “[Head coach Steve Nash] and I haven’t really talked about minutes per se, but it’s a game-to-game basis,” Johnson said earlier this evening. “I think right now during this little stretch while we’ve got some guys out, we don’t fully know what it is we’re going to do right away.
Knicks assistant coach Kenny Payne could be a leading contender for the newly-vacant DePaul University men’s basketball head coaching gig, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. “I think all my staff is terrific and they’ll be recognized,” head coach Tom Thibodeau raved. “So anytime someone has an opportunity to advance we’ll certainly allow them to interview.” Popper adds that Payne is not the only Knicks assistant coach up for a potential new opportunity as a college head coach, as Johnnie Bryant may be under consideration as Utah’s new head coach, and Mike Woodson may be up for the opening in Indiana.

Latest On Kyle Lowry

March 23rd, 2021 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat and the Sixers continue to be the teams most frequently linked to Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested on the latest episode of his Hoop Collective podcast that whichever team Lowry finishes the season with would be the frontrunner to keep him beyond 2020/21.

“I was talking to a GM this morning and he basically described it as this: ‘Kyle Lowry’s free agency is happening right now,'” Windhorst said, per RealGM. “The expectation is that Kyle Lowry will have a new contract by the end of this week. It is either going to be to stay in Toronto, whether it’s signed or an understanding that is going to happen. It’s going to be Miami or Philadelphia. Those are the three options that the expectation is out there.”

While Windhorst’s comments, as well as the latest article from Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, suggest that an extension could be in play for Lowry this week – either from the Raptors or a new team – my understanding is that the veteran point guard doesn’t meet the NBA’s criteria for a veteran extension and will have to wait until free agency to sign a new deal.

Still, it’s safe to assume that if he’s traded this week, Lowry’s new team would have a pretty clear idea of what his next contract might look like and would be confident about getting something done.

As for the likelihood of a trade, Jackson and Chiang hear that as of Tuesday morning, Lowry hadn’t asked to be dealt. However, he remains curious about interest in him and has yet to rule anything out. The Raptors’ front office has also let him know they’ve had conversations with other teams.

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reported on Sunday that Miami would be Lowry’s preferred landing spot if he’s dealt, which Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press confirmed today (via Twitter). O’Connor also noted that Lowry’s close friendship with Jimmy Butler is an important factor in that equation, something that Jackson and Chiang wrote about today as well. Butler’s presence on the Heat roster also fueled James Harden‘s interest in the Heat earlier this year, according to the Herald duo.

If the Heat do attempt to make a deal for Lowry, they’ll likely resist including Tyler Herro unless the trade is expanded to include someone like Norman Powell, per Jackson and Chiang, who say that Duncan Robinson is more likely to be part of the package.

Heat president of basketball operations Pat Riley is a major advocate of going after Lowry, Jackson and Chiang add. If Miami doesn’t acquire Lowry this week, the team could target him in free agency.

Latest On Norman Powell

March 22nd, 2021 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

Many front offices around the NBA are skeptical that the Raptors will ultimately part ways with point guard Kyle Lowry due to a variety of factors, including his $30.5MM salary, but swingman Norman Powell is a “far different story,” writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

As Fischer notes, Powell is expected to decline his $11.6MM player option this offseason to reach unrestricted free agency. Executives around the league anticipate an annual salary of at least $20MM for Powell, says ESPN’s Zach Lowe, so if the Raptors are at all uncertain about giving him a substantial raise this summer, they’ll likely gauge his trade market this week.

One team capologist who spoke to Fischer said he believes there’s a 75% chance Powell will be dealt this week.

According to Fischer, sources have linked the Mavericks, Celtics, Timberwolves, Pistons, and Hawks to discussions for Powell, and the Cavaliers are believed to have asked for him in their Andre Drummond trade talks with Toronto, though there’s no indication those negotiations gained momentum.

The Knicks are also considered a possible suitor for Powell, with one team official referring to the high-scoring wing as a “perfect Tom Thibodeau player,” Fischer writes. New York still has over $15MM in cap room and could theoretically acquire Powell without including any outgoing salary.

Powell, 27, is in the midst of a career year, having averaged 19.6 points per game on .496/.444/.872 shooting in 40 contests (30.4 MPG). As Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes, only one other player – Zach LaVine – has both attempted more shots and has a higher true shooting percentage than Powell this season.

Noting that retaining Powell through the deadline and re-signing him would essentially lock the Raptors into a core of Powell, Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, and OG Anunoby, Koreen contends that the time may be right to consider moving the 27-year-old to gain added financial flexibility, draft picks, and/or younger players.

Heat, Sixers Lead Pursuit Of Kyle Lowry

March 22nd, 2021 at 8:24am CST by JD Shaw

MARCH 22: The Heat and Sixers are the leaders for Lowry if the Raptors move him, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who says that sources with knowledge of the point guard’s mindset thinks he wants to compete for a championship.

Meanwhile, teams have told ESPN’s Zach Lowe that the Raptors haven’t been aggressive in engaging in Lowry discussions yet, but that could change between now and Thursday’s deadline. Lowe expresses some skepticism that the Heat would part with Herro in a deal for Lowry.

MARCH 21: The Heat are one of several teams expressing interest in Raptors star Kyle Lowry ahead of the March 25 trade deadline, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who says Miami’s interest appears to be the strongest among Lowry’s potential suitors.

The Clippers and Sixers also retain an interest in Lowry, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. Miami is Lowry’s preferred destination should he be moved ahead of the deadline, league sources tell O’Connor, noting the close relationship between him and Jimmy Butler.

In any deal involving Lowry between the Heat and Raptors, Toronto would expect to acquire either Tyler Herro or Duncan Robinson in return, according to O’Connor.

On the season, Lowry has averaged 17.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, shooting 44% from the field and 39% from deep in 34 contests. He was a focal point of the Raptors’ 2019 NBA championship team and is in his ninth season with the franchise.

Miami is also said to be the favorites to sign LaMarcus Aldridge if he receives a buyout from the Spurs, O’Connor adds. Additionally, the Heat have a $7.5MM trade exception generated in the 2020 deal featuring Jae Crowder that will officially expire at the end of Monday.

Raptors Notes: Lowry, Powell, Trade Deadline

March 19th, 2021 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Teams inquiring about Kyle Lowry‘s availability have been told that the Raptors aren’t planning on trading him, sources tell Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. Lewenberg is the second Raptors beat reporter to suggest as much, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca wrote last week that the team is very unlikely to move its veteran point guard.

Both Lewenberg and Grange have presented their reports with the caveat that things could change between now and March 25, especially if Lowry’s preference is to move on. But with only six days left until the 2021 trade deadline, the 34-year-old still seems most likely to finish the season with Toronto.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

The Raptors shouldn’t trade Lowry just because he’s getting older and is about to reach free agency, argues Dan Devine of The Ringer. In Devine’s view, the connection Lowry has formed with fans in Toronto is rare, and the return the team would get in any trade is unlikely to be worth ending that relationship unless the point guard decides he wants out.
Norman Powell, who is eligible for free agency at season’s end, has been the subject of some trade speculation lately, but he’s not letting that bother him, as Lewenberg details. “I don’t concern myself with (trade rumors),” Powell said on Wednesday. “I’m just focused on trying to get these wins, trying to help the team win. I used to concern myself with that earlier in my (career), and now it’s just whatever happens, happens.”
Blake Murphy of The Athletic ran through a series of hypothetical Raptors trades – many involving Powell – soliciting feedback from his fellow beat writers at The Athletic.

Scotto’s Latest: Lowry, Aldridge, Oladipo, Wolves

March 14th, 2021 at 10:07am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat are among the teams that have reached out to the Raptors about veteran guard Kyle Lowry, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Some of the players discussed in a possible deal include Goran Dragic, Kelly Olynyk and Kendrick Nunn, according to Scotto.

Lowry, who will turn 35 this month, continues to remain productive, averaging 18.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.5 rebounds through 31 games. He recently pledged his loyalty to the franchise, but didn’t offer a guarantee that he will re-sign with Toronto when he becomes a free agent this summer.

As a one-year Bird player, Dragic has veto power over any trade, Scotto notes. If Dragic agrees to a deal and a new team declines his $19.44MM option for next season, his Bird rights will be reduced to Non-Bird when he enters free agency. Olynyk is headed for unrestricted free agency, while Nunn will be a restricted free agent if he receives a $4.7MM qualifying offer.

Scotto offers a few more tidbits in advance of the March 25 trade deadline:

The Heat have also talked to the Spurs about veteran big man LaMarcus Aldridge, who won’t play again until San Antonio can work out a deal. According to Scotto, Miami offered Avery Bradley, Maurice Harkless and Meyers Leonard to match salary and would be willing to include a minimum contract such as Chris Silva or KZ Okpala or possibly draft picks. The Spurs will have many suitors for Aldridge, and several league executives expect the Celtics to get involved with their $28.5MM trade exception, Scotto adds. Boston is about $19.9MM below the hard cap and would have to send at least $4.1MM in contracts to San Antonio in return.
Rockets guard Victor Oladipo may be the top player available before the deadline, a few executives tell Scotto. The Knicks and Heat are among the teams that are reportedly interested. Scotto adds that Christian Wood is the only player the rebuilding Rockets might consider untouchable.
Several teams have inquired about Timberwolves veterans Ed Davis, Ricky Rubio, Juan Hernangomez and Jake Layman. Minnesota would like to acquire a young forward such as the Hawks‘ John Collins or the Magic’s Aaron Gordon, Scotto notes, and has future first-rounders to offer starting in 2023.

Atlantic Notes: Lowry, Raptors, Celtics, Thibodeau

March 11th, 2021 at 1:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Don’t expect the Raptors to trade Kyle Lowry before the March 25 deadline, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who makes the case that the odds of a deal happening are “remote.” Grange covers some of the same ground that a Wednesday report from Sam Amick did, noting that the point guard’s $30.5MM salary limits the number of suitors who could realistically acquire him and give the Raptors the sort of turn they’d be looking for.

[RELATED: Kyle Lowry Addresses Trade Rumors]

As Grange observes, the Raptors would be more inclined to move Lowry if he wanted out, but despite rumors to the contrary, that doesn’t appear to be the case. Grange cites multiple league sources who say the six-time All-Star isn’t pushing for a deal, and agent Mark Bartelstein also confirmed as much.

“He has clearly not told anybody that he wants out of Toronto,” Bartelstein said of Lowry. “(Raptors president of basketball operations) Masai (Ujiri) and (GM) Bobby (Webster) and I talk all the time. You can never put anything in concrete in this business, things change, but there is literally nothing to all this chatter about Kyle wanting out or telling his team he wants to go there. That’s just not true.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Eric Koreen and Blake Murphy of The Athletic consider whether the Raptors should buy, sell, or hold steady at the upcoming trade deadline, suggesting the team is in position to seriously consider all three options.
Appearing this morning on Toucher & Rich on 98.5 WBZ-FM in Boston, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge once again said that his preference would be to use the team’s $28.5MM trade exception in the offseason, when the club will have more options (Twitter link via Sean Deveney of Heavy.com). “That’s for sure. I’ve always felt that,” Ainge said. “We’re hard-capped (this season), using the full thing on one player would be less likely. It’s not impossible.”
During that same radio appearance, Ainge suggested that if the Celtics make a trade this month, they’d prefer to acquire a player under contract beyond this season, since rival suitors with cap room this summer could make it challenging to re-sign a free-agent-to-be (Twitter link via Keith Smith of RealGM).
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau talked to Nick Friedell of ESPN.com about the lessons he learned in his past jobs that he brought to New York. The conversation also touches on a handful of other topics, including what it means to Thibodeau to reunite with former Bulls star Derrick Rose.