Should Philadelphia 76ers Let Go of Kyle Lowry?

In February 2024, the Philadelphia 76ers managed to pick up the recently waived Kyle Lowry, who had just been included in a trade which landed him with the Charlotte Hornets the month prior. The signing seemed to make sense, it would reunite Lowry with Nick Nurse, who he had lifted the Larry O'Brien trophy with back in 2019, as well as returning him back to his hometown of Philadelphia.

In his first season with the Sixers, Lowry would immediately take on an important role in their starting lineup, managing to fill in the role of a veteran guard, which was left by James Harden, who had departed in October of that season. Across his 23 appearances, Lowry averaged eight points while dishing out four assists per game. These numbers would fall slightly in the six-game series against the New York Knicks, where the 39-year-old would average seven points per game on a lackluster 34.4 percent shooting from the field.

These struggles would carry over into the 2024-25 season, where the Philadelphia native would only average 3.9 points as his role on the court would be greatly reduced, only appearing for 18 minutes per game as opposed to the 28 last season. This could be chalked up to a few things, whether it was the injury issues that persisted throughout the year, or the slew of new additions that the Sixers' front office made in the offseason.

Regardless, this offseason could see Philadelphia's front office have to make a tough decision regarding their hometown star, as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent. In the past, Lowry has made it clear he doesn't have any intention of retiring ahead of the upcoming season, but it may not be enough to bring him back to South Philadelphia for another season.

One of the biggest reasons for this is that the former Villanova star is 39 years old, which goes flatly against Daryl Morey's vision of the Sixers getting "younger" in the offseason. While there isn't a price on an experienced veteran figure to help the new faces in the league get acclimated, there is only a limited number of roster spots. One of which could be used on another guard, potentially in the draft, depending on how the first two picks shake out.

Letting go of Lowry would help the Sixers continue their transition into the next phase of the franchise, potentially giving the opportunity to a younger star in the making.