Heat Proposal Ditches Kyle Lowry for Ex-No. 1 Pick

There have been a ton of trade rumors surrounding the Miami Heat this season. Perhaps the player whose name has been thrown around the most is Kyle Lowry. Most recently, Heavy Sports’ Jack Simone pitched a three-team trade that would rid the Heat of the aging star.

The deal involving the Heat, as well as New York Knicks and Washington Wizards, would look like this:

Knicks receive: Kyle Kuzma, Dewayne Dedmon

Heat receive: Derrick Rose, Will Barton, Rui Hachimura, 2025 2nd-Round Pick (from NYK via BKN)

Wizards receive: Kyle Lowry, Cam Reddish, 2023 1st-Round Pick (from NYK via DAL), 2028 2nd-Round Pick (via MIA)

Simone explained how the hypothetical move benefits the Heat not only in the present, but also down the line.

“Miami should look at this deal and make it immediately. Lowry isn’t the player they thought they were getting anymore, and Dedmon seems to have run his course in Miami. Rose isn’t the guy he once was, and the same can be said for Barton, but both can still provide some decent minutes. Meanwhile, Hachimura could be a potential long-term fit next to Bam Adebayo.”

The 36-year-old Lowry is in his second season with the Heat and still has another year left on his lucrative contract. Many believe that he hasn’t been earning his near-$30-million salary. Lowry has appeared in 37 of Miami’s 46 games this season, playing 34.6 minutes each time. The six-time All-Star has averaged 12.9 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game on 40.1% shooting from the field and 33.6% from beyond the arc.

Rose, a former No. 1 overall pick, isn’t having a tremendous statistical season. The former-MVP has appeared in 26 of New York’s 46 games this season, playing 12.9 minutes. he’s averaged 5.8 points, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 rebounds per game on 39.4% shooting from the floor and 31.7% from deep.

However, the real appeal of bringing Rose in is the financial flexibility that would come along with him. His contract includes a team option for next season, allowing Miami to elect not to pay him the $15.6 million he’d be owed. They’d also avoid paying Lowry’s salary, as he’d no longer be on the roster.

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Kyle Lowry Returns to Heat Lineup in Win Over Pelicans

For now, Lowry is still playing his basketball in South Beach. He did so for the first time in four games as he returned to the Heat’s lineup in their win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The former-Toronto Raptor played 22 minutes in his first game back, scoring 7 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, and dishing 4 assists for Miami.

Lowry had previously been sidelined due to discomfort in his left knee.

Head Coach Erik Spoelstra was excited to have the team’s starting point guard back in the lineup.

“He was a big contributor of setting the tone on both ends,” he explained. “Right out of the gate, you want to set the tone for the game on the road. He had that early steal on the post up, and a couple of other physical defensive possessions, and he had two early attacks before the defense was set. And that just kind of set the tone for everybody else to do something similar.”

The Heat have had to deal with numerous injuries throughout the season, including Lowry’s. According to Spotrac, Jimmy Butler, Dewayne Dedmon, Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo, Duncan Robinson, and Gabe Vincent have been sidelined for at least 10 games with various ailments.

In a January 17 Twitter rant, former Miami Head Coach Stan Van Gundy sounded off on what he believes is a league-wide injury issue.

“90’s NBA teams had just a trainer and a strength coach, they practiced more often and harder and played more back to backs,” Van Gundy ranted. “Teams now have huge medical & “performance” staffs and value rest over practice. Yet injuries and games missed are way up. Something’s not working!”

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