Report: Heat 'covet' Lowry; Miami high on Aldridge's short list

The Miami Heat could be big players ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline.

The Heat "covet" Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry, and Miami is high on LaMarcus Aldridge's list of destinations if he and the San Antonio Spurs manage to agree to a buyout, reports ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

Lowry, 34, continues to perform at a high level 14 years into his NBA career. The six-time All-Star is averaging 17.6 points, shooting 39.3% from deep, and ranks 11th in the Association with 7.5 assists per game. He led the league in charges drawn in two of the previous three seasons and is currently tied with Montrezl Harrell for first in the NBA in that regard.

Miami has plenty of young assets to offer in a potential deal, including Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Kendrick Nunn.

Aldridge and the Spurs, meanwhile, mutually agreed to end their six-year partnership earlier in March. The 35-year-old big man recently shifted to a bench role after starting 373 contests for the club.

The No. 2 overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft is averaging 13.7 points and a career-low 4.5 boards over 21 appearances in 2020-21. Aldridge has improved his 3-point shooting since 2018-19, though, connecting at a 37.9% clip on 3.1 triples per game over the last two seasons.