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Philadelphia 76ers veteran point guard Kyle Lowry has been rumored to be a target of the Los Angeles Clippers when he hits free agency this offseason, but it sounds like he won’t be going anywhere.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported that despite the interest he would generate on the open market, Lowry “is widely expected to re-sign with the 76ers.”
Stein noted that the Clippers are interested in Lowry and fellow veteran Chris Paul “to supply backcourt depth.” Russell Westbrook also has a $4 million player option on his contract to return to Los Angeles for the 2024-25 season.
Lowry joined the Sixers in February after having his contract bought out by the Charlotte Hornets, who acquired him in a trade with the Miami Heat. The signing not only allowed him to play for the team he grew up rooting for but also gave him the opportunity to reunite with head coach Nick Nurse, with whom he won an NBA championship in 2019 while they were with the Toronto Raptors.
The Philadelphia native appeared in 23 games for his hometown team with 20 starts and averaged 8.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 40.4 percent from three-point range. During the playoffs, Lowry started all six of the Sixers’ first-round games against the New York Knicks, though the team failed to advance. Philadelphia has not reached a conference finals since 2001.
Retaining Lowry would give the Sixers a veteran locker room presence and a quality backup point guard behind rising star Tyrese Maxey, who earned his first All-Star selection and was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player this past season. If star center Joel Embiid can stay healthy next year, Philadelphia will have a strong chance to be among the top contenders in the East.
