NBA Rumors: With George Hill Coming, Sixers Reportedly Exit Kyle Lowry Trade Talks

The Philadelphia 76ers knew that they needed some help before passing by the trade deadline. Although they rank first in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers wanted to ensure they have the right pieces for their eventual playoff run.

For a while, the Sixers were looking to wheel and deal with the Toronto Raptors in an attempt to land their franchise star, Kyle Lowry. Leading up to Thursday, the Sixers were reportedly frontrunners to snag the star.

However, a sudden trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder put all of those Lowry-Sixers rumors to rest. A couple of hours before the NBA trade deadline approached, the Sixers struck a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder to land veteran point guard George Hill.

The veteran guard cost the Sixers two of their backup centers in Tony Bradley and Vincent Poirier, reserve guard Terrance Ferguson, and three second-round picks. Now that the 76ers have Hill in the mix to come off their bench moving forward likely, Philly is reportedly out on Kyle Lowry, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

That shouldn't come as a surprise. For starters, Toronto wasn't giving Philadelphia any hometown discounts to land the Raptors' high-prized Philly native. Early on Thursday morning, it was reported the Raptors wanted two first-round picks, rookie guard Tyrese Maxey and second-year guard Matisse Thybulle.

In addition to the young assets, the Sixers would've also had to include Danny Green and Mike Scott to match salaries with Lowry. As expected, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey wasn't willing to budge. While he wanted Lowry, the Sixers have made it clear to teams that they will not overpay for the 35-year-old guard, who will hit the free agency market this offseason.

So, instead, the Sixers land a solid veteran point guard for a reasonable price.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_ & Instagram: @JGrassoNBA.