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Lowry expects former Heat teammate Martin to have ‘phenomenal impact’ for Sixers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Kyle Lowry isn’t the sort of person to feign enthusiasm for the cameras.
If he’s unimpressed or irritated, the six-time All-Star point guard won’t hide it.
So when Lowry speaks about former Heat teammate Caleb Martin, his praise jumps out.
“I think he’s going to have a phenomenal impact,” Lowry said Monday of Martin. “When he got to Miami, that first year there, he was on a two-way contract. He went from a two-way, to a standard contract, to earning another contract, to earning another contract. That just shows the adaptability and the hard work that he puts in.
“He’s never satisfied with just doing one or two things. He’s always trying to push who he is to the next level. And I think he still has some things to prove. He’s going to bring a fight, he’s going to bring some attitude, he’s going to bring another voice. He’s not going to back down from anybody. He’s going to tell the truth how it is.”
Those qualities would all be welcome on Martin’s new team.
Sure, the Sixers will naturally look to stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George for leadership. And they’ll respect the accumulated wisdom of veterans like Lowry, Eric Gordon and Reggie Jackson. But Martin’s words should hold some weight, too.
The 29-year-old forward played in 45 postseason games over his three years with the Heat and had several big performances during Miami’s last two playoffs. He averaged 12.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.9 steals in the Heat’s 2023 run to the NBA Finals and shot 42.3 percent from three-point range.
Like Lowry, it doesn’t appear that he’ll dance around difficult topics in Philadelphia.
“We have a great relationship,” Martin said of Lowry, whom he called one of his “big brothers” in July. “I’ve learned a lot from him in a short amount of time in Miami. He’s a winner. He knows what it takes to win; he’s been there and he’s done that. He’s got such a high IQ and he just knows the game. … I saw the instant impact he had…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/lowry-expects-former-heat-teammate-143343913.html
Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia
Publish date : 2024-10-02 14:33:43
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