Midway through the 2023-2024 NBA season, the Philadelphia 76ers picked up one of the most notable players in the buyout market by signing Kyle Lowry.
The Philly native’s homecoming was full of reunions. Not only did he make it back to play for his hometown team, but Lowry reunited with some old friends, joining Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse.
As much as those two were in influence in his decision to join the Sixers, so was the star duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
“I came here to be able to be a part of the growth of Tyrese and the growth of Joel,” Lowry told reporters last week. “Try to help them as much as I can with the maturation process.”
Lowry joined the Sixers after a run with the Miami Heat. Although he was initially traded to the Charlotte Hornets, the veteran eventually struck a buyout with the rebuilding organization before joining the Sixers via free agency. When he was brought on, Embiid was in the process of an eight-week recovery due to a meniscus injury.
As planned, Embiid returned to the Sixers in the final weeks of the regular season. Lowry had the opportunity to play alongside the superstar big man while continuing to grow alongside Tyrese Maxey in the backcourt.
The new-look 76ers didn’t have a ton of time to get it all together, and it showed in the results of their postseason run.
In round one against the New York Knicks, the Sixers fell out in six games. While it was a close, hard-fought series by both teams, New York took control when it mattered the most.
With the Sixers looking ahead, they have a ton of players expected to hit the free agency market. Lowry is one of them.
At 38 years old, Lowry is likely to land a short-term offer on a playoff-ready team with championship aspirations. When asked about his future last Thursday night, following the Sixers’ Game 6 loss against the Knicks, Lowry made it clear that free agency wasn’t on his mind.
For what it’s worth, the duo that intrigued him in the first place made a great lasting impression.
“The things that these guys have done — Joel playing on one leg — Tyrese in the minute of the game going crazy a couple minutes and going through ups and downs and finding ways to be successful. As a guy who’s been in the league a long time, I was so happy I got the opportunity to play with these guys and be around them,” Lowry stated.
“I had a great opportunity to be a part of two superstars in this league and for me, it was a joy to be around them. We’ll see what happens in the next couple of months,” he later added.
Lowry appeared in 23 games with the Sixers, starting in all but three of his appearances. He averaged eight points and six assists while knocking down 40 percent of his threes. In the playoffs, Lowry started six games. While he struggled with his shot, the veteran’s postseason experience was valuable to Philadelphia.
It’s unclear what’s next for the veteran guard, but there could be a chance Lowry makes his way back to Philly for a full run next year.
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