The Los Angeles Lakers may not pursue a third star this offseason and instead focus on filling out the roster with supporting players. Kyle Lowry was a star at one time, but he is now 38 and generally plays as a backup player. If D’Angelo Russell declines his player option and enters free agency, the Lakers will be in need of a point guard. According to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, Lowry is a guy Los Angeles should consider if they do not want to spend a lot of money.
Kyle Lowry could be one of the best value possibilities at the position,” Buckley said in a June 6 column. “The 38-year-old has lost a few steps—not to mention the majority of his scoring—due to age, but he remains valuable as an offensive organizer and off-ball shooting threat. This season, both the Miami Heat and the 76ers used him as a near-full-time starter, and he generally capitalized on those opportunities, doubling his 1.4 turnovers with 4.2 assists and striking on 39.2 percent of his long-range attempts.
“It’s tough to tell what kind of role he’d handle in Los Angeles—perhaps the Lakers view a hopefully healthy Gabe Vincent as a capable starter—but Lowry’s experience, decision-making and leadership would all be helpful to have.”
Is Kyle Lowry a Good Fit?
The risk of signing Lowry would be low. Last season, he signed a one-year contract worth $2.8 million with the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat. The six-time All-Star is past the point in his career where he will receive high-value free agent offers. It’s also possible that Lowry will leave the game and retire. If not, the Lakers might make sense. The squad hasn’t had a reliable point guard who mostly distributes in several seasons. Lowry does not need to score many points to be productive.
Russell was the team’s main point guard last season but he’s much more of a scorer than a passer. The Lakers could benefit from having a distributor running the offense.
