Don't Expect to See Kyle Lowry in a Hornets Uniform Anytime Soon
The retooling of the Charlotte Hornets' roster is officially underway as the team agreed to send off Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat in exchange for Kyle Lowry and a protected 2027 first-round draft pick.
As soon as the deal went through, my first thought was Lowry won't be in Charlotte for long. He's 37 years old and playing on the last year of his deal. He doesn't want to be on a 10-31 team at this stage of his career and the Hornets don't gain much from him being on the roster as it takes away playing time for some of its younger guards.
A few hours after the trade, Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak was made available to the media and I asked him point-blank whether or not a buyout or trade is the next step and if we can expect to see him on the court anytime soon.
"I spoke to Kyle this morning and I know him a little bit. We chatted and most of it was pleasantries. We went through the teams he had been on and I think this might be his fifth NBA team, so it's nothing new to him. He's been around the block. Beyond that was not discussed...what may be down the road or what may come down the road. We just did the deal a couple of hours ago, so we'll be in touch with his representative and we'll go from there.
"He's got to report, he's got to pass a physical, it's going to take a couple of days. I can't say that's something we would look to accomplish right away. It may be that we wait to see what happens out of respect to him and what he's accomplished in this league. Maybe we wait to see the trade deadline pass, rather than have him relocate and start something that may not take place. I think that's probably what we'll do but don't know for sure. That seems to make the most sense."
Kupchak acknowledged that Lowry doesn't fit the team's timeline to win and that there will more than likely be opportunities on the table for him as the February 8th trade deadline nears. It makes sense for the Hornets to find Lowry another home as it will allow him to play on a contending team while also potentially getting something in return.
If Lowry does play for the Hornets, it won't be before the deadline.
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