Kyle Lowry was part of a transaction that moved him to the Charlotte Hornets following a three-season stay with the Miami Heat. Following several weeks of talks, Lowry and the Hornets decided to proceed with a buyout on amicable terms.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said on Saturday night that Lowry would be available as a free agency. But he made a snap decision on where he would travel next.
Lowry was on his way home.
A film devoted to Lowry’s decision was posted by his agency, Priority Sports, shortly after it was confirmed that he would be joining the Philadelphia 76ers.
Lowry’s return to Philadelphia seemed to have been long overdue. The experienced guard, who was 37 years old when he ultimately joined the Sixers, was apparently chased by the organisation in previous seasons.
This season, Lowry will have multiple reunions thanks to his move to the Sixers. The veteran guard was traded by Daryl Morey to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2009, and he went on to play for the Houston Rockets. Prior to the 2012–2013 NBA season, Lowry signed with the Toronto Raptors following three complete seasons of play for Morey’s Rockets.
From 2013 to 2018, Nick Nurse, the head coach of the 76ers, served as an assistant in Toronto. Before the 2018–2019 campaign began, he was elevated to head coach. In the same year, Nurse and Lowry shared their first NBA Championship.
Lowry left the Raptors after the 2020–2021 season and signed with the Miami Heat. Nurse would remain in Toronto until the completion of the 2022–2023 season, at which point he would move on and join the Philadelphia Sixers in Philadelphia.
Lowry, a native of Philadelphia, is returning to his hometown team to try and give them the push they need to succeed in 2024.
