Heat acquire Victor Oladipo at NBA trade deadline, send out Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley
Oladipo #Oladipo
The Miami Heat acquired Houston Rockets guard Victor Oladipo at Thursday’s NBA trading deadline, the Sun Sentinel has confirmed, according an NBA source close to the transaction.
In order to match salaries under the cap, the Heat sent out Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk and agreed to a swap of draft picks.
The deadline ultimately left the Heat intact with supporting young players Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Precious Achiuwa, among others.
On a day the Heat tried to maneuver for Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, Oladipo wound up as the two-way guard acquired by Miami Heat President Pat Riley. Lowry ultimately wound up remaining with the Raptors.
Oladipo had been linked to the Heat prior to this season’s trade from the Indiana Pacers to the Houston, as part of that deal that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets.
Oladipo, an impending free agent, gives the Heat another two-way perimeter threat to pair with Jimmy Butler.
The Heat typically reach agreements in advance with such impending free agents, as was the case with Goran Dragic and Shaquille O’Neal, when they were acquired at the trade deadline at the expiration of their contracts.
With Oladipo, the Heat immediately upgrade their struggling offense, while also adding another defender for their closing lineup.
As for Lowry, he had been linked to trade-deadline interest from his hometown Philadelphia 76ers, as well as the defending-champion Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.
The 76ers appeared to drop out of the bidding earlier in the day, when they made a move for veteran Oklahoma City point guard George Hill.
The Clippers then also turned in another direction, with the addition of Rajon Rondo from the Atlanta Hawks, in exchange for Lou Williams.
Ultimately, the price tag proved too rich for the Heat.
Oladipo’s acquisition came with the Heat a .500 team in search of impetus in a bid to replicate last season’s success, when they advanced to the NBA Finals and moved within two victories of a championship.
Earlier in the day, the Heat moved to get the small stuff out of the way early, trading Moe Harkless and Chris Silva to Sacramento Kings for outside-shooting big man Nemanja Bjelica.
Bjelica helps bolster a Heat power rotation that has been lacking.
Harkless, signed in the offseason as a free agent, proved unable to crack the Heat power rotation, with Silva also limited in his contributions in the power rotation after unexpected contributions last season as an undrafted rookie.
The move also opened a spot on the Heat’s roster.
Bjelica, 32, is earning $7.2 million this season on the final year of his contract.