Kyle Lowry understands his role with the 76ers
Kyle Lowry joined the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 14 after agreeing a contract buyout with the Charlotte Hornets. The move sees him team back up with Nick Nurse, who coached him to a championship with the Toronto Raptors. Lowry, 37, will provide Philadelphia with a reliable veteran ball-handler as they bid to make some noise in the postseason.
When speaking to the media as part of his post-practice news conference on Thursday, Lowry admitted that he understands the role he was acquired to perform. He noted how his role is to help improve Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers roster and to be a professional when called upon.
"I'm excited to be here," Lowry said. "I understand my role and my job. My job is to make sure Tyrese gets better. Make sure this team gets to a point where they haven't been in a while. And that's my job. My job is to do everything I need to do to make this team and this organization better. No matter what the role is, what the minutes are, what the situation is. My job is to be a professional and help Tyrese get better."
Lowry brings a wealth of experience to the Sixers locker room. He will be a good mentor for Maxey, who is enjoying a breakout season after stepping into James Harden's role at the start of the season. Lowry can offer advice during games, during practice sessions and when watching film after games. His willingness to embrace his role as a veteran leader should be an encouraging sign for Philadelphia.
Of course, Lowry will also be capable of making an impact on the court. He may not be the player he once was, but he's still a reliable guard at the NBA level. He played 37 games for the Miami Heat before being traded. He was averaging 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field and 38.5% from deep. Nurse will find a way to make good use of Lowry's on-court skillset.
Still, it's clear that Lowry was given a job description upon signing with the franchise. Philadelphia is all-in on Maxey and his future development. He is fast becoming the second star next to Joel Embiid.
If Lowry can help raise the young guard's game by 5%, his tenure with the franchise will be deemed a success. Whether he can have the level of impact before the end of the season will remain to be seen.
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