MIAMI — Kyle Lowry is being traded by the Miami Heat to the Charlotte Hornets for Terry Rozier in a swap of point guards, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The defending Eastern Conference champion Heat also are sending a 2027 first-round draft pick to the Hornets to complete the deal, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade was still pending league approval.
Rozier figures to be an immediate upgrade for the Heat. He is averaging 23.2 points and 6.6 assists — both career bests — in 30 games this season and is shooting a career-high 46% as well.
Lowry — a six-time All-Star and 2019 NBA champion with Toronto — had started in each of his first 35 appearances with the Heat this season, then was taken out of the starting five last week, and it didn't take long for speculation to begin that his time with Miami was running short.
He averaged 8.2 points and 4 assists per game for the Heat this season, turns 38 in March and is on a $29.7 million expiring contract. He struggled in his final five games with Miami, shooting 5 for 30 and averaging only 2 points and 3.6 assists in that span.
The 29-year-old Rozier is making $23.2 million this season and is under contract for two more seasons. Charlotte is 10-31, well outside the playoff picture in the East.