A Miami Heat insider is indicating that less than two years after acquiring veteran guard Kyle Lowry, the team is reportedly very disappointed from what he’s been able to deliver on the court.
They didn't expect this from Lowry. They thought they were getting all star PG
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) March 30, 2023
Lowry was acquired in 2021 from the Toronto Raptors as part of a sign-and-trade that sent Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa to the Raptors. At the time, Lowry was thrilled to join the Heat organization.
The Heat wanted Lowry because he was a six-time All-Star who had led the 2018-19 edition of the Raptors to the franchise’s only NBA title. That acquisition came when Lowry was 35 years old, but his expected contributions were no doubt higher than what he’s since produced.
In his two seasons with the Heat, Lowry has played in a total of 114 regular season contests, including just 51 this season. His absences have been due in part to injuries that can often become more frequent as a player gets older.
For the 2022-23 campaign, Lowry is averaging 11.5 points, 5.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals per game. On the surface, such numbers aren’t bad, but they’ve declined enough to draw attention to his ability to contribute to the Heat’s lineup.
This season was expected to be one of promise for the Heat, considering that the team reached Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last year. Instead, the Heat are currently locked in a tight struggle to avoid being relegated to a play-in game.
The Heat are barely above .500 at 40-37, with just five games left to avoid that play-in fate. On Wednesday night, the team suffered a 101-92 loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, with Lowry not even playing.
How much Lowry will be able to aid the Heat during the postseason is unknown. Last year, he saw action in 10 games over three different playoff series. Over those trio of series, he scored 78 points, dished out 47 assists and grabbed 36 rebounds.
Given the current focus on simply getting to the postseason, the team won’t bother to publicly address such conjecture. Yet, the Heat are likely feeling queasy about having to pay Lowry $29.7 million next year, the final season of his contract.
In the immediate future, the Heat have to focus on defeating their next opponent, the Dallas Mavericks, on Saturday night.
