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Who Says No? The Athletic's Trades Sending Kyle Lowry to The Heat & Clippers
With just three days to go before the NBA trade deadline, things are really starting to heat up.
While the next two days might be quiet, as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported, Thursday could see a lot of action.
One name that keeps popping up is Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry. It remains unclear if the Raptors will indeed move their soon-to-be 35-year-old guard, but recent reports suggest the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Clippers are the most interested teams.
Thanks to The Athletic's NBA Show Podcast, Andrew Schlecht and Alex Speers have given us three Lowry trades to take a look at:
Los Angeles Clippers get: Kyle Lowry
Toronto Raptors get: 2027 unprotected first-round pick, Detroit Pistons 2024 & 2025 second-round picks, Mfiondu Kabengele
This would allow Clippers president Lawrence Frank to create a Toronto Raptors 2019 big three with Kyle Lowry, Kawhi Leonard, and Serge Ibaka and likely put the Clippers into the driver's seat in the Western Conference. Lowry would bring the missing playmaking Los Angeles has lacked this season and the kind of point guard play the Clippers are thirsting for.
The problem with this deal is there's not much in it for the Raptors. Those draft picks are either too far out into the future or not valuable enough to move the needle.
Who Says No: Toronto
This one was pretty easy. Not only is it hard to envision the Raptors doing a deal with the Clippers after everything that's transpired over the past two seasons, but there isn't enough coming back to Toronto to make this deal worth it.
Miami Heat get: Kyle Lowry & Norman Powell
Toronto Raptors get: Precious Achiuwa, Goran Dragic, Andre Iguodala, and an unspecified first-round pick
The Heat are reportedly the team most interested in acquiring Lowry who would add some championship pedigree to a team that came just short in the NBA Finals last season. Though Miami wouldn't necessarily need Powell and probably wouldn't re-sign him in the offseason, he would add a scoring punch that could help the Heat really contend with the Brooklyn Nets in the postseason.
For Toronto, Precious Achiuwa helps fill a frontcourt spot and — as I wrote about during draft season — Achiuwa fits the mould of a player that would fit well in Toronto's developmental system. That's not to mention he's already friends with Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. Some specifications on that first-round pick would potentially sway things, but adding Andre Igoudala doesn't make a ton of sense for Toronto.
Who Says No: Toronto
Achiuwa and that pick are nice, but the Heat would have to find a third team to take on Iguodala's contract considering he's due to make $15 million next season. Ultimately, in a deal for both Powell and Lowry, the Heat would have to send back a little bit more than just two intriguing assets.
Miami Heat get: Kyle Lowry & Norman Powell
Toronto Raptors get: Tyler Herro, Precious Achiuwa, Goran Dragic, Andre Iguodala, and an unspecified first-round pick
Speaking of sending back more intriguing assets, this is exactly the kind of deal the Raptors should be looking for. The Heat would still probably have to send Iguodala somewhere else, especially if he remains determined to only play for contenders at this stage of his career, but there's enough here to at least pique Toronto's interest.
Who Says No: Miami
Tyler Herro is reportedly untouchable these days.
If he were truly on the table, I'd imagine the Raptors would jump at the chance to make a deal even if it meant parting ways with Lowry. He's a 21-year-old shooting guard who showed real flashes of stardom during last year's playoff run. The problem is Miami knows that and it seems unlikely they're going to move Herro in any deadline deal.
Further Reading
Kyle Lowry jokes that he doesn't know about Thursday's trade deadline
Report: Raptors among teams interested in Kings' Richaun Holmes
Report: Miami Heat & Philadelphia 76ers lead pursuit of Kyle Lowry
