As the March 25 NBA trade deadline draws near and the Toronto Raptors continue to slip further and further out of a playoff spot, the future of franchise icon Kyle Lowry remains unclear.
Lowry, who turns 35 this week, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after his current one-year, $30-million contract expires. However, according to a new report from Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Lowry is open to skipping free agency and staying with the team that acquires him beyond this season -- for the right price.
"The Sixers and Miami Heat are having talks with the Toronto Raptors to acquire the six-time All-Star point guard in a trade," Pompey wrote. "However, Lowry, 34, wants some indication that a potential destination is willing to give him a two-year extension at a minimum $25 million a year, according to sources."
Any team acquiring Lowry at the trade deadline would also be acquiring his Bird Rights, which would allow a team to go over the salary cap when re-signing him and enable a more lucrative offer.
But while the Raptors are reportedly discussing Lowry and Norman Powell trades on multiple fronts, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, talks are expected to extend into Wednesday and even Thursday as both the Heat and 76ers have shown restraint in how far they'll go to get a deal done.
In addition to Lowry and Powell, the 76ers have reportedly shown interest in Lonzo Ball and George Hill, Wojnarowski added.
Shams Charania of The Athletic echoed reports about the 76ers and Heat being the leading possible destinations for Lowry in an appearance on Good Show Tuesday.
"The two teams that are the leaders, Philadelphia and Miami from what I'm told, they've put in offers. But as of right now, neither is strong enough, neither is really appealing to Toronto," Charania said. "[The Raptors] have made it clear that unless there's an offer that blows them away, that is by their standards a crazy offer... to move a guy like [Lowry] it will take a big offer, and so for them it's about, at the deadline do they take the best available deal if it meets most of the criteria that they have? Or, do they let it end organically in the second half of the season?"
