Sixers Must Hit In Free Agency, Which Means Passing On Kyle Lowry
As the Sixers enter an important offseason, the team will look to piece together a formidable team. To do so, they must hit on free agency.
The thought has always been that when Philadelphia starts to bring in impactful players from the outside, it will allow their young core to propel forward. The Sixers have built a team on in-house development and drafting, but have failed to attract real free agents or land a polished scorer through trades.
The Sixers have loads of cap space, and while that means little when talking about some of the top free agents, it could net them some key pieces to place around young studs Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. One of the top free agents is hometown product Kyle Lowry. Lowry fits the general “need” for a team, a polished guard.
But as many written posts and worried rants will tell you, Lowry does not fit with the timeline or the roster shake-up of the Sixers at all. Which is why not signing Lowry could end up being Bryan Colangelo’s biggest success as Philadelphia’s general manager to date. There’s a good chance Colangelo tries to pry Lowry away from Toronto, and there seems to be mutual interest according to Keith Pompey.
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The problem with paying Lowry is shutting the window on a shrinking timeline of cap space. The Sixers will have to give Joel Embiid a max rookie extension assuming he stays healthy next season, and the team will have to decide on retaining key pieces like Robert Covington and Richaun Holmes down the line. All this while still adding talent to improve the roster makes paying Lowry challenging.
But Colangelo will be aggressive this offseason, as he should be. But hitting in free agency doesn’t mean snagging the talented Kyle Lowry. The Sixers can have a successful free agent period by landing complementary pieces. Shooters, perimeter defenders, depth. All three will be costly in free agency, but on a shorter term than investing on one 31-year old, high usage, point guard.
Another aspect is the projected loaded free agent class of 2018, which will be another summer of aggressiveness from the Sixers management barring a huge signing this offseason. Does the team miss out on a chance to persuade more talented guards to land Lowry, a misfit next to monikered star Ben Simmons?
The Lowry signing would immediately improve the Sixers, but it wouldn’t be enough to validate the lengthy rebuild. Lowry’s age and the contract he’s seeking would be better suited for a team further ahead in their timeline.
Taking shots on guys like Jrue Holiday (who would be netting some good money this summer), Patty Mills, and other lower paid guards would be much more beneficial short term and would allow for slightly more leeway than Lowry.
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Hitting in free agency doesn’t always mean landing the big name. Making multiple thoughtful signings that benefit the Sixers financially and on the court is a superior philosophy. It’s obvious, I know, but the team mustn’t overreact and go all-in on the first available free agent.