The 2024 NBA Trade Deadline is a mere 16 days away, and that is beginning to lead to some movement. After the James Harden blockbuster trade that took place in early November, there wasn't been much movement on the trade front until a couple of weeks ago when the Toronto Raptors traded OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks for Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and a second-round pick. But another domino has officially dropped. That fall came via the Charlotte Hornets, who traded Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat for Kyle Lowry and a 2027 lottery-protected first-round pick.

The current plan for the Hornets after this trade is to keep Lowry, look to reroute him to another team and accrue some extra draft capital along the way. But, as a result of this trade, it is more than possible that Kyle Lowry could get bought out and hit the open market as a free agent. There are some stipulations as to where Lowry could end up if that ends up being the case. As a result of the new CBA, teams over the newly-instated second apron cannot sign bought-out players during the season. The Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, and Phoenix Suns fit this bill.

But, more than two-thirds of the league could sign Kyle Lowry if they wanted to if he gets bought out, and they should. Lowry may not be the all-star he once was, but he still is a helpful and winning player that any team should want. There are two teams in the Eastern Conference in particular, that could get a big boost out of signing Lowry if he hits the buyout market.

Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers and Kyle Lowry pairing together makes sense for a ton of reasons. For one, Lowry is a Philadelphia native and played his college ball at Villanova, located in Philadelphia. Who doesn't like playing at home?

Another reason? The 76ers could stand to add another guard who can create and run the show on offense. Outside of Tyrese Maxey, who will be an All-Star and is having an outrageously awesome season, the 76ers are short on perimeter creation in the backcourt. Guys like De'Anthony Melton and Patrick Beverley *can* run the show (playing through Joel Embiid a lot alleviates some of this concern), but Lowry would be an upgrade over both in this regard. Lowry can also help make life easier for Joel Embiid.

Lastly, Lowry is very familiar with the Philadelphia brass. He played for head coach Nick Nurse for four seasons with the Toronto Raptors while both were there, and another six years while Nurse was an assistant with the Raptors. Lowry and 76ers' general manager Daryl Morey also crossed paths for three seasons while both were members of the Houston Rockets from 2009-2012. That familiarity could very well bring Lowry back to the City of Brotherly Love with a steady role and a chance to compete for a championship.

New York Knicks

Kyle Lowry in a Knicks Jersey

The Knicks have already cornered the market on Villanova Wildcats, so why not add another one? As fun as that would be, the Knicks have a serious need at backup point guard now that Immanuel Quickley is across the border in Toronto. The Knicks have been effective when neither Brunson nor Quickley have been on the floor this season, but it hasn't resulted in pretty basketball. The Knicks have posted a +4.5 net rating in those minutes, but their 108.9 offensive rating ranks in the 11th-percentile of Cleaning the Glass' database.

Miles McBride has seen an uptick of minutes since that trade and has played well, but Lowry gives them a steadier hand as their backup point guard. While Tom Thibodeau may try to play Jalen Brunson all 48 minutes in big games, that is not sustainable whatsoever. Lowry can make those non-Brunson and Quickley minutes even more effective. If Lowry hits the buyout market, the Knicks should absolutely try to get him.