Kyle Lowry Calls 1st Season With Miami Heat a 'Wasted Year' Without Another Ring

Former Toronto Raptors great Kyle Lowry calls his first year with the Miami Heat a 'waste' after being eliminated in the playoffs by the Boston Celtics

Aaron Rose | May 30, 2022

Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Lowry gave the Miami Heat everything he could in this year's playoffs, but at 36 years old it just wasn't enough.

It was a tumultuous Eastern Conference Finals for the former Toronto Raptors guard in his first season with the Heat. He missed most of the first two rounds due to injury and when he did return against the Boston Celtics, he was a little up and down at times, with more down than up. For the series, he averaged just 9.4 points on 28.6% shooting, scoring three points total in games four and five combined.

"It's been a wild season for me individually. My personal life has been a little bit different for me this year," said Lowry following Sunday's Game 7 loss in which he scored 15 points on 4-for-12 shooting. "But I'm given an opportunity to play basketball, and any time I get a chance to play, I'm really happy to do it.

"I wish I would have been able to play a little bit better, at a higher level, but I didn't. It just adds fuel. You don't know how many more opportunities you will have to get back to this, so for me, honestly it was a waste of a year. I only play to win championships. It was fun, and I appreciate the guys, my teammates, and I appreciate the opportunity. But for me, it's a waste of a year. You're not playing for a championship -- you're not winning a championship, it's a wasted year."

There's no doubt Lowry will be back and impactful next season in the three-year, $85 million contract. As he mentioned, it was a tumultuous year on and off the court as he dealt with injuries and personal issues that kept him sidelined for extended stretches during the season. Next year, though, even in his age 36 season, Lowry and the Heat should be right back near the top of the Eastern Conference.

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