As summer rages on, so does the 76ers off-season that is sure to come with a couple big moves. Philly sports talk has been dominated with the recent news that the Sixers are shopping three time All-Star Ben Simmons. With that new development many are forgetting about a few other players set to hit free agency who could certainly help the Sixers going into next season. With that, let’s take a look at a player who’s already been linked to the Sixers plenty of times, Kyle Lowry.

Kyle Lowry is set to play his 17th season in the NBA next season at the age of 35. While the age is certainly an issue, Lowry has showed little to no sign of slowing down. In his last couple seasons Kyle Lowry is averaging just around 17 points a game while shooting a comfortable 37-percent from beyond the arc. On top of that, Lowry has averaged at least seven assists in the last three seasons, and that number was nearly nine on the championship 2018-19 Raptors roster. Couple that with a respectable 81-percent from the charity stripe and you’ve got a great point guard off the stat sheet.

Looking past the stat sheet only makes Kyle Lowry an even better fit for the 76ers. As many know Kyle is a Philadelphia native, and even played his college ball at Villanova. Lowry doesn’t shy away from his fandoms either, routinely speaking highly of the city of Philadelphia and the sports teams in it. There’s no denying that Lowry would easily embrace the city of Brotherly Love off the court, but also become another veteran leader in the locker room.

On the court, Lowry is one of the proven leaders of the league at the point guard position. While Kyle certainly wasn’t the big fish in the pond for the Raptors team that won it all, he was the glue that truly brought the team together. That squad was composed of young up-and-coming stars like Pascal Siakam, and Kawahi Leonard who is one of the best players in the league, but was also brand new to the team. Not only would Lowry become a big scoring threat out of the starting lineup, but a veteran who can keep the team in line no matter what the score.

There are some concerns when it comes to acquiring Kyle Lowry. As previously stated Lowry is 35, and has dealt with a couple injuries as of late. In the past two seasons Lowry has missed double-digit games for Toronto, suiting up for only 58 games in the 2019-20 season and 46 this past year. Not only is the question how long until Kyle Lowry can’t produce at a high level, but how long will his body hold up to the rigor of the NBA?

While I personally believe Lowry would be a big help for the Sixers under the correct contract, signing Kyle Lowry is another issue in and of itself. The Sixers currently are still over the cap by around 19 million heading into next season. To pull off a sign-and-trade for Lowry, the Sixers would need to off-load either Seth Curry or George Hill’s contract in the trade. On top of that, it is reported the Raptors need one of Matisse Thybulle or Tyrese Maxey in any deal for Lowry, two guys I would only trade in a package for Lillard or Beal.

While the likelihood we’ll all get to see Kyle Lowry in a 76ers uniform seems slim, there’s no doubt his name will be attached to the Sixers for the rest of the off-season, and for good reason. Despite the age and contract issues Lowry is the point guard the Sixers are missing, that could put them over the hump come next season.

Mandatory Credit: Alex Goodlett.