Kyle Lowry wants to move on from Houston

[Dash]

Barely three weeks after surgery to repair a sports hernia and torn abductor muscles, Rockets guard Kyle Lowry returned to the Toyota Center weight rooms and went through shooting drills on the practice court.

 

But as he leaves town Saturday, he does not know if he’ll return to those familiar facilities or if he wants to be back.

 

Lowry does not believe he and Goran Dragic, his successor as the starting point guard this season, will both return to the roster next season. Lowry was even less confident he and Rockets coach Kevin McHale can successfully coexist.

 

“I don’t think so,” Lowry, 26, said. “I honestly think it would be tough. Things have to be addressed. The situation would have to be addressed.

 

“If things aren’t addressed coaching-wise, I guess I have to be moved.”

 

But McHale did not believe the issues were too great for him and Lowry to work well together.

 

“That’s very surprising,” McHale said. “I didn’t think we had too much of a problem coexisting this year. Everybody has a little beef every once in a while. I didn’t feel like (there were problems). He apparently did.

 

“There were times that we didn’t agree on things. There were times that I got on him. I don’t think it was unduly harsh on anybody.”

 

Lowry and McHale seemed most at odds during a late-season game in Denver when McHale grabbed Lowry and pulled him back toward a huddle during a timeout with Lowry reacting angrily on the court. Both downplayed the incident in the next few days, but Lowry confirmed he needed to be restrained.

 

“My teammates pulled me away,” Lowry said. “They did a good job.”

 

GM, coach see no issues

 

General manager Daryl Morey, however, believes Lowry and McHale can succeed with the Rockets, especially with a second season together that includes the offseason and training camp that they did not have last season because of the NBA lockout.

 

“I think Kyle and coach McHale are both winners and both competitive guys,” Morey said. “I don’t anticipate any issues going forward.”

 

The more pressing situation could be the Rockets’ choice at point guard. Dragic will be an unrestricted free agent and has said his goal is to be a starter with the responsibility to run a team’s offense.

 

Dragic is expected to be targeted by several teams offering that opportunity, but Morey said the Rockets intend to sign Dragic. The GM and McHale met with Dragic after the season.

 

“I think they work well together as players,” Morey said. “We plan to sign Goran.”

Lowry considers Dragic worthy of the attention, but he said having both point guards likely would not work.

 

“I would say I don’t think so,” Lowry said. “We’re both capable starters. We both want it. It’s going to have to be a situation where they make a decision on one of us.

 

“It has nothing to do with Goran. I’m not happy with the way coaches handled things. If management wants to do something to keep Goran, I think I’ll have to be moved.”

 

If Lowry remains on the roster, teams offering Dragic a clear path to start could be at an advantage to sign him, but McHale said he can play Lowry and Dragic together.

 

“I like that lineup with those guys out there,” McHale said. “They played together and I thought played very well together at times. There were many times I thought it was a very, very good lineup.”

 

http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2012/05/disgruntled-lowry-feels-its-his-time-to-move-on/

 

Sigh...the one time I felt we could actually sell high on one of our players and this happens. Lowry was gone either way though.

[magicbalala245]

Makes it more interesting for LA. If they still are interested in Gasol as just reported maybe a 3 way deal is possible between Brooklyn, LA, & Houston with us landing Deron Williams.

[ChosenOne]

Lowry, Martin, Bud, Patterson for Dwight! Make it happen Morey!

[Dash]

Makes it more interesting for LA. If they still are interested in Gasol as just reported maybe a 3 way deal is possible between Brooklyn, LA, & Houston with us landing Deron Williams.

 

No thanks.

[DunkinDerozan]

If he's traded then I guess theres a much higher chance Dragic stays in Houston.

[Check my Stats]

I see Toronto as a possible destination.

[Warren2ThaG]

I see Toronto as a possible destination.

 

He'd look good in a Toronto jersey

[Blazed49]

I think he'd look even better in a Portland uni.

[DunkinDerozan]

I'd put Portland and LA as the two of the favourites for him for sure.

[htownborn]

I kind of saw this coming with the way Dragic played at the end of last year. I still prefer Lowry over Dragic but since he came out and said he wants out it just makes it that much easier to trade him plus most of the Rockets management and fans seem to favor Dragic more anyway. I just hope the Rockets aren't still trying to get Gasol because something tells they would be dumb enough to trade Lowry and other assets for Gasol.

[Dash]

I see Toronto as a possible destination.

 

Maybe for the 8th pick assuming the Raptors don't move up. I don't see anything else that would make any sense for either side.

[Built Ford Tough]

If the Rockets are serious about moving up in the draft and Portland keeps the Nets pick, I could see something centered around Lowry and the Blazers 11th pick (plus another asset). That would give Houston the 11th, 14th and 16th picks (plus guys like Patterson, Morris, Buddinger, etc...) that they could dangle to try and move up into the top 5.

 

They would then likely target somebody like Drummond and hope to hell that Hakeem and McHale can bring out the best in him. I can't really think of a better situation for a young big man like Drummond to come into than having arguably the two best back to the basket scorers in NBA history working closely with you.

 

I doubt that they would be able to move into the top 5 with that kind of package, though, which would kill any chances of this type of trade. I think they would have to get a top 10 pick in order for a team to consider doing this kind of trade unless the team trading down really falls in love with a guy like Rivers, Waiters, Sullinger, T. Jones, or some other late lottery/mid first player.

 

If Toronto doesn't have any luck in the lottery, aren't able to move up and don't have a guy they like fall to them, I can see them being interested in moving their pick for Lowry as well. Their search for a point guard is hardly a secret and Lowry would fit in very nicely with Casey's system.

[Dash]

I'd put Portland and LA as the two of the favourites for him for sure.

 

No to the Lakers, we don't want Pau Gasol at the price of Lowry especially after Pau got another year older. Maybe Portland but they wouldn't be too high up on my radar, a deal with them would result in abundance of MORE assets (as if we didn't already have enough of those).

 

If the Rockets are serious about moving up in the draft and Portland keeps the Nets pick, I could see something centered around Lowry and the Blazers 11th pick (plus another asset). That would give Houston the 11th, 14th and 16th picks (plus guys like Patterson, Morris, Buddinger, etc...) that they could dangle to try and move up into the top 5.

 

They would then likely target somebody like Drummond and hope to hell that Hakeem and McHale can bring out the best in him. I can't really think of a better situation for a young big man like Drummond to come into than having arguably the two best back to the basket scorers in NBA history working closely with you.

 

I doubt that they would be able to move into the top 5 with that kind of package, though, which would kill any chances of this type of trade. I think they would have to get a top 10 pick in order for a team to consider doing this kind of trade unless the team trading down really falls in love with a guy like Rivers, Waiters, Sullinger, T. Jones, or some other late lottery/mid first player.

 

If Toronto doesn't have any luck in the lottery, aren't able to move up and don't have a guy they like fall to them, I can see them being interested in moving their pick for Lowry as well. Their search for a point guard is hardly a secret and Lowry would fit in very nicely with Casey's system.

 

That Portland deal would be awful. I'm so sick of adding all these assets that don't result into anything, if we get into the top 5 that would be great but otherwise this would be an easy no from the Houston side.

 

Agreed on Drummond. It would all likely be all for naught but we really have no other choice if we continue to be a treadmill team.

[Built Ford Tough]

That Portland deal would be awful. I'm so sick of adding all these assets that don't result into anything, if we get into the top 5 that would be great but otherwise this would be an easy no from the Houston side.

 

Agreed on Drummond. It would all likely be all for naught but we really have no other choice if we continue to be a treadmill team.

 

The Portland deal is moving into the top 5. That is the entire point of the trade.

 

EDIT: My bad. I thought I typed out that they would already have a deal in place with a team to move up prior to making the trade. Now that I've read the post again, it is a giant mess, so it is easy to see how you missed the point I was making, haha.

[Dash]

Gotcha. Moving up into the top 5 of the draft is a pipe dream but our best bet would be probably if the Kings stand pat at #5 or move back to #6 and then we packaged Lowry + 14th and 16th picks to Sacramento for their pick.