South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Did the Heat lose out on Lowry, or practice prudence?
The upside-down story of the Miami Heat all too often becomes about the ones that got away, be it Kevin Durant, Gordon Hayward or (prematurely) Giannis Antetokounmpo in free agency, or those linked in potential deals at the NBA trading deadline.
Kyle Lowry certainly could fall into the latter category, with neither side of the equation denying discussions leading up to Thursday’s cutoff. The Heat were interested in the 35-year-old guard for his win-now possibilities; the Toronto Raptors had eyes on the Heat’s developmental talent.
That, however, is where it gets sideways regarding the depths of the discussion.
For their part, the Heat went as far as to issue an after-thefact statement that Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Precious Achiuwa were not offered in any trade discussions. (Rarely, if ever, have the Heat gone to the degree of such formal denial.)
For their part, the Raptors viewed the Lowry process as open bidding on an elite, championship-proven talent.
The two sides were engaged. That part is undeniable, Heat President Pat Riley, through coded comments, acknowledging as much.
But where it gets confusing is what they exactly were taking about.
Removing Herro, Robinson and Achiuwa from the equation, and appreciating the hands-off status of Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, the best level of youthbased offers the Heat could have cobbled together would have involved Kendrick Nunn and KZ Okpala, plus salary-cap filler.
On one hand, that almost would seem insulting for a player of Lowry’s level, particularly if the Heat are committed to a potential follow-up run for Lowry this summer in free agency.
On the other hand, 35 is 35, and eventually grit and guile come
with an expiration date.
Still, it becomes easier to appreciate, after the fact, the consternation of Raptors President Masai Ujiri of having to again lay out a Raptors jersey for Lowry on game nights.
“Did we come close to doing something?” Ujiri said. “Maybe, in my mind, I might say yes. But maybe on the other team it wasn’t so close. So you don’t even know.
“It might be one on our board and on their board it was 10, so you never know. But yeah, there are a couple things that it seemed like could get done. But we’ve learned that a lot of times these things, a lot of them don’t happen, too.”
This, however, was not random chatter. This was to-the-deadline talk, discussions pressed by the Heat’s need to otherwise move on to the Victor Oladipo trade they instead closed.
Oladipo better than Lowry? That’s not germane. What is, is that the Heat had a standing, accepted offer in place with the Houston Rockets for Oladipo with the type of assets deemed insufficient by the Raptors.
As, all the while, Ujiri seemingly was expecting Riley or another Lowry suitor to come with more.
“In the heat of the moment, yeah, I was surprised, because to be honest I viewed [Lowry] as somebody that can go out and put a stamp on what [a contender is] trying to do this year,” Ujiri said. “I’ve lived it. I’ve seen it. To me, I
know what the guy does. I know who he is.
“I hope I’m pardoned if I valued him too much.”
The irony is that Ujiri and Riley could be back on the phone in the offseason, when Lowry becomes a free agent. A sign-and-trade agreement with the Heat would afford the Raptors a trade exception and perhaps a Heat component they deemed insufficient Thursday. Plus, by the summer, Butler will be a season away from an opt-out from the final year of Heat contract. And what Jimmy wants ...
So, for now, the Heat get to kick the tires on Oladipo, see if he not only can get back to his former All-Star self, but also if his salary-cap hold would better be spent elsewhere this offseason, perhaps on Lowry, perhaps on another free agent.
With an outright signing of Lowry in free agency, there would be no cost for the Heat beyond cap space.
Based on the limitations of the Heat’s cap situation, it almost assuredly would be either Oladipo or Lowry.
But it also would be the Heat dictating the decisions.
On their terms.
As they did Thursday.
Yes, cast Lowry, if you choose, as another who got away.
Or cast it as prudence to protect the future while leaving the door open for the very player perceived as having gotten away.