Getty Daryl Morey
The Philadelphia 76ers are rounding out their roster nicely around the NBA’s newest Big 3, but there’s at least one meaningful addition the team has yet to make.
Chris Herring of ESPN on Monday, July 8, pitched a reunion between Philly and veteran point guard Kyle Lowry in 2024-25 as a critical move to the Sixers’ title chances.
“Lowry, arguably the most accomplished player still on the market as both an NBA champion and a six-time All-Star, returned to his hometown of Philadelphia last season following a trade to (and a buyout with) the Charlotte Hornets. And it makes the most sense for Lowry to stay with the Sixers,” Herring wrote. “Philadelphia has what it believes is closer to a championship roster with newcomers Paul George and [Caleb] Martin, minimizing the burden the 38-year-old point guard might otherwise need to shoulder.”
Kyle Lowry Remained Serviceable Starter Last Season for 76ers, Heat
Getty Kyle Lowry, formerly of the Philadelphia 76ers, defends Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks during an NBA game.
Lowry is a likely Hall of Famer, with an 85.7% chance of earning that honor following his retirement, per Basketball Reference. His days of leading or co-leading a championship-level team are now behind him as one of the league’s oldest players, but he proved last season in Philly and across years prior with the Miami Heat the he can still contribute to winning at the highest postseason levels.
Lowry signed a three-year deal worth $85 million to join the Heat in August 2021, a little more than two years after capturing the sole title of his 18-year career with the Toronto Raptors. He was a regular starter over the next two campaigns, during which Miami found itself in the Eastern Conference Finals twice and the NBA Finals once, falling just short of a ring both times.
The Heat flipped Lowry to the Hornets, along with a 2027 first-round pick, in return for Terry Rozier. Charlotte waived Lowry in short order, after which he inked a rest-of-season contract in Philly for $2.8 million.
Lowry played 23 regular-season games with the Sixers, starting 20 of them alongside All-Star Tyrese Maxey. Lowry averaged 8.0 points, 4.6 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 0.9 steals on 44.4% shooting from the field and 40.4% from behind the 3-point line on 3.9 attempts per game. He was also an above average defender with a defensive rating of 114.3 compared to the league average of 116.1.
76ers Added Caleb Martin Over Summer, Kyle Lowry’s Former Heat Teammate
GettyCaleb Martin, formerly of the Miami Heat.
The Sixers have filled out the roster nicely, including bringing back Kelly Oubre Jr. from last year’s team and drafting rookie point guard Jared McCain out of Duke with the No. 16 overall pick. McCain could end up a major part of Philly’s rotation in his first NBA season, but Lowry’s experience and remaining talent offer the Sixers a quality bridge to the former Blue Devil.
Philly made another significant addition on July 6 when the franchise inked Martin, Lowry’s former Heat teammate and two-way wing, to a four-year deal. Adrian Wonjarowski of ESPN projects that Martin will likely start for the Sixers at the power forward position.
Martin averaged 10.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists last season while connecting on nearly 35% of his 3.6 attempts from behind the 3-point line each night. He was also a high-quality defender in 2023-24, posting a defensive rating of 113.3.
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