Miami Heat: Pass or pursue on 5 rumored NBA trade deadline targets
By Dalton Sell
Should the Miami Heat pass on or pursue rumored trade target Kyle Lowry?
Kyle Lowry’s name has been floating around on the trade market for the past several weeks, and the Miami Heat have reportedly done their due diligence on him.
According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the Heat have expressed interest in pulling off a blockbuster trade for the six-time All-Star. Scotto notes that Miami has included Goran Dragic, Kelly Olynyk, and Kendrick Nunn in a potential package offering for the Toronto Raptors guard, but it is unclear how far those talks have gone.
If the Raptors are entertaining the idea of trading the heart and soul of their franchise before the deadline, it would be understandable for the Heat to go after him. Lowry is having another fantastic season with Toronto, currently averaging 18.1 points on a .445/.397/.873 slash line, 5.6 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. Numbers like that could certainly turn things up another notch for the Heat, who have been on a tear recently as they work their way back up in the standings.
Lowry’s massive salary is where things could get challenging, as he is making an expiring $30 million this season. The Heat would have to cut ties with the three aforementioned rotational players even to get the wheels turning on a potential deal, excluding any draft capital that Toronto would certainly seek.
Still, if Miami has the opportunity to get a deal done, they should look to acquire the 34-year-old before March 25. Adding Lowry would unquestionably bolster this team’s chances of making it back to the NBA Finals by bringing another solidified star to South Beach.
The biggest question remains just how available he is on the trade market and whether Toronto would trade him to a rivaling squad within their conference.