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Sixers officially sign six-time All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry

Lowry, a former standout at Cardinal Dougherty and Villanova, has averaged 8.2 points, 4.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 28 minutes this season in Miami.

Former Miami guard Kyle Lowry reacts in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Madison Square Garden on Apr. 30, 2023.
Former Miami guard Kyle Lowry reacts in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Madison Square Garden on Apr. 30, 2023.Read moreElsa / MCT

The 76ers officially signed Kyle Lowry on Tuesday to a $2.8 million contract for the remainder of the season.

This comes after the former Cardinal Dougherty and Villanova standout cleared waivers after being bought out by Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. The Hornets had acquired the six-time All-Star in a trade from the Miami Heat on Jan. 23.

The 6-foot North Philly native will wear No. 7, which has been worn by reserve center Mo Bamba. Bamba will switch to No. 5.

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Lowry is expected to be the Sixers backup point guard, but will also play alongside All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey, according to a source.

The 37-year-old is continuing his return-to-play ramp-up and will join the Sixers (32-21) following the NBA All-Star break. As a result, he’ll miss Wednesday’s game against the Heat (29-25) at the Wells Fargo Center.

His homecoming is more about leadership than talent. Lowry can help players buy into what Sixers coach Nick Nurse is selling.

He was Nurse’s standout floor leader on the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 NBA championship team.

Lowry knows how to run a team. He’s a winner, a leader, and possesses a toughness the Sixers lost while trading away Patrick Beverley and another North Philly native in Marcus Morris Sr. on Thursday.

This homecoming also reunites Lowry with Daryl Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations.

As the Houston Rockets’ general manager, Morey acquired Lowry from the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 19, 2009, before trading him to the Raptors on July 11, 2012.

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Lowry averaged 8.2 points, 4.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 28 minutes this season in Miami. He started in each of his first 35 appearances before being taken out of the starting lineup.

In his two games off the bench before the trade, Lowry shot a combined 2-for-13 while averaging 2.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 24.8 minutes. Lowry averaged 3.1 points on 22.5% shooting — including 12.0% on three-pointers — along with 3.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 turnovers, and 24 minutes in his final seven games in Miami.