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Kyle Lowry is headed back home.
The Philadelphia native signed with the 76ers on a $2.8 million deal for the remainder of the season after he agreed on a contract buyout with the Charlotte Hornets, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Lowry was traded to the Hornets from the Miami Heat that resulted in Terry Rozier heading to South Beach prior to the Feb. 8 deadline.
However, the point guard and Charlotte were previously rumored to negotiate a buyout so that he’d be able to sign with a playoff contender. Now he’ll join a 76ers team that could use some more offensive firepower after superstar Joel Embiid underwent meniscus surgery that’s expected to sideline him for at least four weeks until he’ll be re-evaluated.
Here’s a look a Philadelphia’s updated roster and the team’s updated salary after the Lowry signing.
Joel EmbiidTyrese MaxeyTobias HarrisBuddy HieldKyle LowryNicolas BatumRobert Covington De’Anthony MeltonPaul ReedKelly Oubre Jr.Cameron PayneMo BambaKenyon Martin Jr.Ricky Council IV (Two-Way)Kenneth Lofton Jr. (Two-Way)Terquavion Smith (Two-Way)
The 76ers now have $177.8 million in cap commitments for the 2023-24 season, per Spotrac.
Lowry should provide an offensive spark off the bench for a 76ers team that has struggled since Embiid’s surgery was announced, owning a record of 2-4 in six games. Philadelphia has fallen to the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, although a victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday gave the team an overall record of 31-21.
While the addition of Lowry may not single-handedly save the 76ers’ season, it should allow them to keep pace in a competitive playoff race before Embiid is healthy enough to return to action. While his exact timetable for a comeback is currently unknown, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told reporters on Friday that he’s “hopeful” the reigning MVP won’t miss the remainder of the season (per Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer).
Lowry appeared in 37 games with the Miami Heat prior to the trade, with 35 starts. He averaged 8.2 points and 4.0 assists in 28.0 minutes per game, shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three.
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