Some NBA players tend to go under the radar. They treat professional basketball like any other job: they show up when they can’t, let their employer know if they can’t, and work as hard as they can.
On the other hand, some players are a lightning rod for controversy. They may have every gift in the world in terms of talent, but they seem to have priorities outside of using them.
Kyle Lowry has long fallen into the former camp. He’s widely regarded as a locker room leader and a relentless worker.
Unfortunately, it appeared as though the 36-year-old’s quality of play had declined in last year’s postseason.
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Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving falls into the latter category. His abilities remain at full strength when he does suit up to play. Problematically, convincing him to suit up can prove to be a challenge.
If the Nets and Heat have different priorities this summer, maybe they could entertain swapping the two.