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It was a bittersweet Tuesday for players of the Miami Heat as while they obtain a much-needed talented scoring point guard in Terry Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets, they traded away Kyle Lowry. The 37-year old veteran was liked and respected among his peers for the past two and a half seasons he has been with Miami as players like Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Kevin Love talked about the move.
OFFICIAL: The Miami HEAT have acquired guard Terry Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Kyle Lowry and a protected 2027 first round pick.
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) January 23, 2024
Adebayo has developed a chemistry between himself and Lowry as the two worked together on pick and roll actions plus the veteran leadership having a massive impact on the star big-man. He even went as far as to say to the media after Tuesday's practice that Lowry might be his “favorite teammate” since he came to Miami.
“Kyle [Lowry] has been one of my favorite teammates, maybe my favorite since he's been here,” Adebayo said. “He has always taught me ways to get the ball, he always talks to me about getting easy catches. He's been positive towards me, I've hanged out with him during the summer and he is like a brother to me and will continue to be my brother.”
While Bam Adebayo said he wouldn’t speak on the trade until it’s official, he did talk about what Kyle Lowry meant to him.
“Kyle has been one of my favorite teammates, maybe my favorite teammate since he’s been here…” #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/LCUZ8xwVNG
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 23, 2024
Herro says it's “never easy” trading away someone who has been crucial
Herro had mixed emotions about the news since he is excited about Rozier joining the team bringing an “energy boost,” but mentioned Lowry has done a lot for the team. He would express that it is “never easy” to trade someone away who is a part of the culture.
“We appreciate Kyle and everything he's done for us and our team. A trade getting rid of someone who's been a part of something like this for two plus years is never easy,” Herro said. “Kyle was one of those voices in the locker room and like I said, it's never easy to get rid of somebody who's been a part of something like this for two years. But with guys leaving, guys out, guys got to step up to new roles, whether it's leadership or roles on the court.”
Kevin Love says Heat are losing a “Hall of Fame point guard”
There were two players on the Heat that brought a ton of veteran leadership with Lowry and the other being Kevin Love. With the news of the trade, Love will step in as the main leader with vast experience. When asked whether there will be more pressure on him to be that figure that Lowry was, he said to ClutchPoints “yes and no.”
“I think obviously losing a guy that has won a championship, has a championship pedigree, is a Hall of Fame point guard, the guy that has the ear of pretty much everybody on the team, that's obviously something that is tough to lose,” Love said. “But I think it's an opportunity for other guys to step up in including myself and in a role that I enjoy doing myself so it's something that you know, I look forward to doing.”
Asked Kevin Love about Kyle Lowry leaving as the two has the most experience on the team.
“Losing a guy that’s won a championship, has a championship pedigree, is a Hall of Fame point guard…that’s going to be something that’s tough to lose…” #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/pMHyo44mCa
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 23, 2024
Love will be main veteran leadership on the Heat
However, Love did admit that getting Rozier is a huge get for Miami as he has productive scoring ability that can help the team in an association where offensive usage is going up. He would go on further to say that it “hurts losing” Lowry.
“New blood is good. Certainly for me, it hurts losing Kyle who has been somebody I've competed against but a friend of mine who I've become very close to off the floor, obviously even more so here being so close to him, but a lot of battles over the years, so losing him definitely hurts,” Love said. “But yeah, there are cases where it can be a big lift for a team and, you know, sometimes that's off the floor and emotionally on the floor as well. Hitting that refresh button and get some new blood in here can be good.”
