Kyle Lowry was one of this offseason’s most desired free agents.
Many teams besides the Miami Heat, who eventually acquired him from the Toronto Raptors in a sign-and-trade deal, were interested in adding him to their roster.
One of those teams interested in Lowry was the New Orleans Pelicans, who reportedly offered him more money than the Heat did.
“New Orleans was willing to go to $90 million over three years or more, according to a source, but Lowry never leaned toward going there, according to the source,” wrote Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “Lowry took three years and $85 million from Miami.”
By taking less money to join the Heat, it’s clear how much Lowry wanted to be in Miami. Getting the chance to compete for championships while playing with Jimmy Butler, who is one of his close friends, was obviously more important for Lowry than the chance to make more money in New Orleans.
Last season, Lowry averaged 17.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game while shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Even at the age of 35, Lowry has shown that he can still be an impactful player in the league. The Heat will be hoping that he can keep up that type of production as the team looks to have a strong 2021-22 campaign.
The Villanova University product has career averages of 14.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game.
