Throughout the 2023 offseason, it seemed like it was only a matter of time before Damian Lillard joined the Miami Heat. After all, Lillard made it clear that he preferred to land in South Beach so he could compete for a championship alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. But now that the dust has settled and Lillard is now a member of the Milwaukee Bucks organization, the Heat will have to make do with the talent they have on the roster entering the 2023-24 season.

And that may mean that Kyle Lowry, the 37-year old veteran, is the likely candidate to grab the starting nod for the Heat at the point, which Lowry reaffirmed while talking to reporters on Tuesday morning.

“I expect to be the starting point guard,” Lowry said, per Wes Goldberg of The Ringer. “We haven't talked about it yet but I expect, my personal self, the way I work on myself, is to be the starting point guard this year.”

That isn't exactly a bold prediction, as with the departure of Gabe Vincent to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Heat will, more likely than not, be calling upon Kyle Lowry to be the team's floor general. Of course, the Heat could try and experiment by starting Tyler Herro at the one and putting Josh Richardson or Duncan Robinson at the two alongside Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kevin Love (or Caleb Martin), but Lowry brings a sturdy presence, floor spacing, and a smart tempo-setter to the Heat lineup, which head coach Erik Spoelstra will certainly value.

Nevertheless, at age 37, it's fair to wonder just how much gas there is left in Lowry's tank. Lowry was still a solid, above-average player last year, but it's clear that he's losing a step or two, preventing him from impacting the game as much as he did in the past. Moreover, Lowry has encountered a few injury troubles in recent seasons, which the Heat will definitely have to plan around.

At the end of the day, the smart money is on believing Kyle Lowry's proclamations, especially given the Heat's lackluster depth at the point guard position.