76ers Rumors: Kyle Lowry Contract Is Buyout Market 'Priority' If Hornets Release PG

The Philadelphia 76ers plan to make veteran guard Kyle Lowry their "priority in the buyout market" if he is released by the Charlotte Hornets, NBA insider Marc Stein reported Thursday.

Lowry was dealt to Charlotte as part of the Jan. 23 Terry Rozier trade but has not played for the Hornets.

The Hornets originally hoped to trade Lowry prior to Thursday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, but his $29.6 million cap hit makes him a candidate for a buyout.

Lowry averaged 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists through 35 games with the Heat so far this season.

The news came hours after the 76ers traded Danuel House and a 2024 second-round pick to the Detroit Pistons.

After sending Patrick Beverley to the Milwaukee Bucks and Jaden Springer to the Boston Celtics in exchange for second-round draft stock, while reportedly trading Marcus Morris and Furkan Korkmaz to the Indiana Pacers for Buddy Hield, the Sixers have three open roster spots following the trade deadline.

That gives them to roster and cap flexibility they need to compete in the buyout market, as noted by CapSheets' Yossi Gozlan.

The 76ers could use that space to add 37-year-old Lowry as a depth option to help fill in for Joel Embiid, who is out for at least a month after undergoing knee surgery Tuesday, while providing a veteran presence for young guards like Tyrese Maxey.

Another potential buyout market option is guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who is expected to be waived by the Toronto Raptors, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.

The Sixers are also expected to be in the market for Dinwiddie, according to Charania. He averaged 12.6 points and 6.0 assists in 48 starts with the Brooklyn Nets.

Although the 76ers will be competing against other teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans for Dinwiddie, according to Charania, they will not have to compete against the entire league.

As part of new penalties instituted this season against teams operating above the cap, those above the first tax apron are not able to sign a bought-out player whose prior contract was worth over $12.4 million.

That means the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets will not be able to pursue buyout candidates like Lowry or Dinwiddie, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.