Report: People around the league believe Daryl Morey is ‘angling’ to trade for a better star than Kyle Lowry

The Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated from the 2021 NBA Playoffs by the Atlanta Hawks.

Philadelphia could have entered the postseason with a different roster had it pursued Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors. However, team president Daryl Morey was reportedly hesitant to trade for the veteran guard because he was looking for a bigger fish.

“Opinions differ on Philadelphia’s decision not to pursue Lowry harder, but there is a consensus around the league that Morey resisted because he’s angling for an even greater star,” wrote Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. “He’s thinking about stars like Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal becoming available. CJ McCollum or Zach LaVine could also appeal to Philadelphia if they are put on the table.”

Back in March, the Sixers were reportedly close to acquiring Lowry.

It is unclear if getting the 35-year-old could have helped the team go further than it did in the postseason. But it is not hard to imagine that, given his championship pedigree, Lowry would have been able to contribute more than Sixers point guard Ben Simmons did.

Now, Philadelphia will enter the offseason with several questions to answer.