News about the mid-season trade in 2024 continues. According to the news, the Heat have completed the transaction with the Hornets. The Heat used Kyle Lowry plus a 2027 first-round pick to exchange Terry Rozier with the Hornets.
News about Kyle Lowry seems to be spreading rapidly in the near future and now has a direction. In last year’s offseason, the Heat came up with ideas for Lowry, who has one year left on his contract this season. They should decide whether to stay or leave him this season. At the end of last year, Lowry said in an interview that he would return to Toronto and play for him. The Raptors have retired for many years, and just yesterday, it was reported that the Heat will not wait until close to the trade deadline to move Lowry, and are likely to make a change in the near future. On January 23, US time, Lowry will leave the Heat immediately.
The Heat negotiated a deal with the Hornets, sending Lowry and a 2027 first-round draft pick to the Hornets in exchange for Hornets guard Terry Rozier III.
Lowry became a free agent in the 2021 offseason, and eventually moved to the Heat from the Raptors in a sign-and-exchange deal. The Heat sent Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa, and gave Lowry a three-year contract worth $85 million. This season, it is $29.68 million. Lowry, who is out of contract but will turn 38 this year, has dropped to 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists this season, which are the lowest points since the 2009-10 season. Since the 2010-11 season, he has been The main guard of the Rockets, he was then traded to the Raptors in 2012. After a nine-year career with the Raptors, except for sharing the point guard duties with Jose Calderon in the first year, he has been the starting point guard of the Raptors since then. He was also the main point guard when the Raptors won the championship in 2019. He is the first point guard in the history of the Raptors.
Because of these glorious backgrounds, although the Raptors are unwilling to keep Lowry in 2021 due to lineup reorganization and let him transfer to the Heat, Toronto fans still welcome Lowry very much, and Lowry still agrees with the Raptors. That’s why he revealed that he will Before retiring, Lowry returned to the Raptors and retired as a Raptors player. However, in the past two years, Lowry’s contribution to the Heat has not matched his salary. The Heat, who were eager to clean up Lowry’s salary, finally gave him a first-round ticket. Sign, trade with Hornets for Rozier. The Heat’s salary dropped slightly by 6.4 million after the transaction, which can help them save about 15 million in luxury taxes. The 2027 first-round pick given out is lottery-protected. If the Heat keep this first-round pick in 2027, they will send an unprotected first-round pick to the Hornets in 2028.
Rozier was the 15th overall pick in the first round of the Celtics in 2015. After being benched in the first year, he became a substitute guard for the Celtics in the second season, playing behind Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley and Marcus. After Smart, in the third season, not only did he improve the playing order after the Bradley trade, but he also served as the starter in all 19 games of the playoffs that year due to injuries to Kyrie Irving and Smart. His playoff averages were 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, which looks quite similar. Even though KI and Smart returned to the team healthy the following year, Rozier’s regular season data was revised downwards. However, he was still favored by the Hornets when he became a free agent after the season. In the end, the Hornets and Celtics negotiated a signing. In exchange, Rozier and Kemba Walker exchanged clubs. Rozier received a three-year salary of 58 million. After two years, he renewed his contract with the Hornets in advance. He is currently signing a four-year, 97 million contract extension. The contract has expired. There are 2 years after the season and 51.57 million, of which 26.64 million in the 2025-26 season is a player option.
Although Rozier was only a backup guard when he transferred to the team as a free agent, he became a competent starter as a combo guard after coming to the Hornets. Whether he started with Devonte’ Graham or later with LaMelo Ball, or served as the main point guard, his performance was outstanding. Quite satisfactory, and this season when Ball was injured, Rozier served as the Hornets’ main point guard, so that so far this season he has spent 65% of the time as point guard, twice as much as in the past two seasons with the Hornets. However, Rozier did not affect the offense because he was the main point guard. This season, he averaged 23.2 points, 6.6 assists, and a shooting percentage of 0.458, all career highs, so his market price in the trading market skyrocketed.
After Rozier joins the Heat, he is expected to become an important source of firepower in the Heat’s backcourt. He and Tyler Herro can join forces to start, making up for Lowry’s failure to provide much firepower support this season even if he starts. The aging Lowry will obviously not be part of the Hornets’ blueprint for the future. The Hornets currently claim that they will not buy out immediately and hope to find the next team willing to take over. However, no matter what happens in the end, Lowry can be expected to be at the trade deadline. After changing teams again a few days ago, the Hornets’ real gain is the 2027 first-round pick.
Further reading:
Pride of the North – The Five Best Players in Toronto Raptors History
Taking a time machine? Kyle Lowry’s playoff resurgence
Free agent observation–Kyle Lowry after coming to Heat
Underrated superstar! Lowry is a great leader, a warm man, and may even be a trade partner that changes the league’s situation.
Terry Rozier, an underrated leader with a “big heart”
Terry Rozier proves he’s no consolation prize in Walker trade
No more acting! Michael Jordan throws $100 million at Terry Rozier
Mid-season strength adjustment and 2024 mid-season trading topics
[Editor Zhang Zhengbang]
2024-01-23 16:18:45
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