76ers News: Lowry Nearly Landed Historic Honor Over 8-Time All-Star

76ers veteran was named as someone to be the first Raptor to have his jersey retired.

Mar 31, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry (7) controls the ball as Toronto Raptors guard Javon Freeman-Liberty (0) tries to defend during the third quarter at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers brought in not one but two veterans to play for their hometown team. The first was Marcus Morris, who came over from the LA Clippers as part of the James Harden trade. While his time in Philly was brief, another homegrown talent finds himself on an extended run with the franchise.

After a disappointing tenure in Miami, the Heat decided to trade Kyle Lowry to the Charlotte Hornets for Terry Rozier. They tried to re-route the former All-Star and champion at the deadline, but no deal came about. The Hornets ended up waiving Lowry, paving the way for him to sign a deal with the Sixers in free agency.

Lowry has had multiple stops in the NBA during his 18-year career, but he is most known for his time with the Toronto Raptors. He spent nearly a decade with the franchise, where he grew to be idolized by the fan base. The love for Lowry stemmed far beyond fans, as people within the organization wanted to grant him a historic honor.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the Raptors plan to retire Vince Carter's No. 15 jersey. This will be an iconic moment, as this will be the first time the organization does this for a former player. While reporting on the subject, Josh Lewenberg of TSN cited that Lowry was someone the Raptors initially looked at to be the first jersey retirement.

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"It wasn't exactly a slam dunk," Lewenberg said. "There are high ranking people in the organization who strongly believe and still believe that Kyle Lowry's jersey should be the first to hang in the rafters. But of course, Lowry's not done playing."

Lowry was a six-time All-Star during his time in Toronto, and helped the franchise win it's first title in 2019. Based on this recent reporting, it seems like it's a lock for his No. 7 to go in the rafters in the future. For now, the veteran guard will attempt to help the new-look Sixers for an NBA championship.