Kyle Lowry will certainly not be upset with the massive contract he recently signed with the Miami Heat but there were reportedly even larger offers on the table for the veteran point guard.
In fact, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Lowry had an offer on the table worth $5 million more from the New Orleans Pelicans to sign for three years.
Lowry obviously opted to sign the three-year, $85 million contract with the Heat instead, highlighting hopes of competing for a title and playing alongside one of his close friends in star forward Jimmy Butler.
Interestingly enough, the Pelicans’ offer didn’t finish second in Lowry’s priority list, as Jackson reports that an offer he received from the Dallas Mavericks was actually Lowry’s second choice.
It’s easy to see why Lowry’s interest may not have been in New Orleans, as the Pelicans finished 11th in the Western Conference last season, traded away starting point guard Lonzo Ball last week and hired a first-time head coach in Willie Green. While both Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram have shown themselves to be a dominant offensive forces, other variables (likely including Lowry’s age at 35) likely made the Pennsylvania native’s decision easier.
Lowry had a difficult season with the Toronto Raptors last year, as the team finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 27-45, and rumors swirled all season about a potential trade. However, Lowry had a solid individual season, averaging 17.2 points and 7.3 assists per game (46 games) on a true shooting percentage of 59.3.
