Kyle Lowry was seemingly a match made in heaven for the Miami Heat. The scrappy guard brings tenacity and competitiveness on an every-night basis. He brings high-level defense, a winning attitude, and is comfortable playing within his role. Lowry came to the Heat in a sign-and-trade agreement this past offseason. Miami elected to hand Lowry a three-year, $85 million contract in a deal. that will go through the 2023-24 season.

While the hope was for Lowry to help elevate the Heat back to a championship, the team fell just short this season. The Game 7 victory by the Boston Celtics sent the Heat packing and will force them to reevaluate for next season. Lowry did not prove to be the postseason solution the franchise had hoped for and struggled throughout while also missing time with a hamstring injury.

In total, Lowry averaged just 7.8 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.6 rebounds across 29.5 minutes per game this postseason. He shot just 29.1% from the field and 24.1% from 3-point range. While he was hampered by that hamstring injury for a great deal of the playoffs, this level of production still did not meet the standards that were expected.

As Miami begins to search for adjustments to make before next season, searching for a Kyle Lowry upgrade should be at the top of this list. 

Why Heat must try to acquire a Kyle Lowry upgrade

Age

Kyle Lowry has been a terrific NBA player for many years. The time comes for every player when they begin to decline. For Kyle Lowry, this point has hit. The 36-year-old still competes his heart out but does not have the same level of pop in his game he once did. The IQ and ability he plays with will allow him to continue producing, but not at the level that it was hoped he would be capable of.

Father Time catches up with everyone, and Kyle Lowry is no different. Rehab on his hamstring may inject some life back into him, but the fact of the matter is he will not be getting any younger. Attempting to upgrade at the point guard position to find a guy closer to his prime would benefit the team greatly.

Too large of a role

While he can still be effective as a complementary piece, the Heat cannot afford to rely on Kyle Lowry as a primary option. Miami plays an impressive brand of defensive basketball. Lowry fits in on this side of the ball and is a capable contributor. However, on offense he is unable to fill the role that is expected.

The lack of star power and offensive ability was one of the most noteworthy takeaways from the Heat in these playoffs. Relying on Jimmy Butler to score 40+ regularly is not a sustainable recipe for success. When looking at areas where this increase in production is needed, the point guard is an obvious answer.

Kyle Lowry was the Heat’s third-leading scorer in Game 7 with 15 points. While he was once capable of regularly going over 20 points per game, he is just not that guy at this point. Lowry put up 13.4 points per game in the regular season and 7.8 in the postseason. Asking him to produce such a large cut of the team’s offense is just too much.

Race to Improve

The 2021-22 season was a great success for the Miami Heat. Their 53-29 record secured first place in the East. They also were just one game short of heading to the NBA Finals after their Game 7 loss. The franchise outperformed most expectations that were set for them by a great deal. Even so, the team cannot afford to rest on this success. All 29 other teams will be searching to improve, and the Heat obviously cannot be any different. We know Pat Riley doesn't want to sit on his hands.

Willingly going into next season with it clear Lowry is declining would be a mistake. The Heat have never been a franchise shy to attempt to make a big splash. The Lowry signing may not have worked out the way they hoped, but this can be fixed. If the Heat can flip Lowry for an improved offensive point guard, they could find their missing piece. Or perhaps they keep Lowry around and use other trade assets to acquire a point guard upgrade.

There is still plenty to like about Kyle Lowry’s game. Even at this stage in his career, he helps contribute to the team a great deal. However, if the Heat are truly looking to make the championship jump, they must address making upgrades. Adding another key offensive threat or flipping him for this missing piece should be a top priority this offseason.