Former NBA wing urges Kyle Lowry to avoid Lakers: ‘They are trying to make you the fall guy’

Mike Battaglino
3 Min Read
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Lowry reportedly may be of interest to the Los Angeles Lakers, but one former NBA player said that Lowry should not have an interest in them because they will make him the “fall guy” if things go wrong.

Evan Turner – who never played for the Lakers or was teammates with Lowry in the NBA – for some reason decided to weigh in with some advice amid buzz that Lowry could be available soon.

Lowry was traded to the Charlotte Hornets by the Miami Heat in a recent deal involving Terry Rozier. However, a report indicated the guard might not ever play for Charlotte, which could either trade him again or buy out the remainder of his contract that ends after this season.

With the NBA trade deadline approaching early next month, the Lakers reportedly are looking to make changes at the point guard position. In addition to being linked to Lowry, they also reportedly have a strong interest in Dejounte Murray of the Atlanta Hawks. This is because they reportedly are seeking an upgrade over D’Angelo Russell, although he has played very well of late.

Since being put back into the starting lineup earlier this month, Russell has scored at least 20 points in six of seven games, with a high of 39 points plus a game of 34 points. However, the Lakers have just four victories in those contests and are taking a 23-23 record into their game at the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.

Lowry won the 2019 NBA title while with the Toronto Raptors and helped the Heat reach the 2023 NBA Finals. The six-time All-Star started 35 games for Miami this season and appeared in 37, averaging 8.2 points and 4.0 assists per contest.

Turner last played in the NBA for the Hawks in the 2019-20 campaign and often uses social media to weigh in on league events.

He once said that any future NBA championship won in a bubble – as the Lakers accomplished in 2020 – should have the trophy named after LeBron James, seemingly casting aspersions on the legitimacy of that title. He also got into a beef with Kevin Durant over how the superstar landed with the Golden State Warriors.

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Mike is a veteran journalist who has covered the NBA for almost three decades. He remembers the birth of "Showtime" and has always admired the star power the Lakers have brought to the game.