Kyle Lowry reportedly could reunite with title-winning coach if bought out by Hornets

Kyle Lowry could be soon reunited with the coach he won an NBA championship with — Nick Nurse.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Philadelphia 76ers have emerged as the front-runners to sign Lowry if the veteran guard is bought out by the Charlotte Hornets, who acquired him from the Miami Heat as part of the Terry Rozier trade.

Fischer noted the 37-year-old Lowry is not expected to suit up for the 10-33 Hornets, a team that’s committed to its young core. Instead, the Hornets are looking to either trade Lowry to a playoff contender that can absorb his $29.6 million salary or buy out the final year of his contract.

Besides selling Lowry on the idea of reuniting with Nurse, the Sixers also have the advantage of being one of the few contenders below the first luxury-tax apron. Since Lowry would be eligible to sign a mid-level exception deal ($12.4 million) after being bout out, teams such as the Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks — in the second tax apron — are not eligible to sign Lowry. Similarly, the Sixers are positioned to sign another Hornets buyout candidate, Gordon Hayward, while others above the first tax apron won't be eligible to.

By joining the Sixers, Lowry — a native of Philadelphia — would be playing for his hometown team for the first time in his career, after stints with the Grizzlies (2006-09), Rockets (2009-12), Raptors (2012-21) and Heat (2021-24).

Lowry was coached by Nurse for three seasons until he joined the Miami Heat at the start of the 2021-22 season. The pair won a championship in their first season together.