Heat trade Bam Adebayo backup to Pacers
12/13/2024 04:47 PM
The Miami Heat have agreed to trade backup center Thomas Bryant to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a swap of a future second-round pick, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
Bryant, 27, signed a one-year minimum contract with the Heat this past offseason after originally joining the team for the 2023-24 season. As a result, the Heat and Pacers are unable to fully complete this trade until Bryant’s signing restriction is lifted on Dec. 15, a date when many of the league’s recently signed players become eligible to be traded.
With James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson both suffering season-ending Achilles injuries during the first quarter of the 2024-25 season, Indiana had been searching the trade market for a low-price center that could help provide some fortitude in the frontcourt behind Myles Turner. Bryant has proven to be a strong rebounder who can stretch the floor on offense, making him a viable option for the Pacers in pick-and-roll sets.
In a total of 10 games with the Heat this season, Bryant averaged 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 42.9 percent from the floor and 35.3 percent from three-point range.
The Pacers are currently 10-15 and have struggled to find their identity early on this season. After making it to the championship game of the NBA Cup a season ago, Indiana failed to qualify for the knockout rounds this season. This team has yet to string together more than three consecutive wins through their first 25 games.
Remaining in the Eastern Conference, the Heat have also struggled with consistency. While they have a slightly better record at 13-10, Miami is still searching for their identity, which has led to plenty of trade rumors about Jimmy Butler’s future with the organization. Whether or not the Heat truly entertain offers that come their way for the All-Star forward is something that will materialize heading into January as the trade deadline inches closer.
Bryant being sent to the Pacers is the first trade to happen since the start of the 2024-25 season. While this is just a minor move being made by Indiana to add depth to their frontcourt, the trade made between the Heat and Pacers has officially started trade season in the NBA.
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