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The Heat have finalized a deal to acquire embattled Suns guard Goran Dragic in a multiteam just moments before Thursday's trade deadline, Marc Stein of ESPN reports. The trade also includes the Pelicans, according to the Sun Sentinel. The teams announced the trade Thursday night.
Miami shipped Danny Granger and two future first-round picks, a top-seven protected 2017 first-round pick and an unprotected 2021 first-round pick, to Phoenix. Goran's brother, Zoran Dragic, was also included in the deal and will head to Miami. The Pelicans received Justin Hamilton, Norris Cole and Shawne Williams from Miami, and shipped John Salmons, who will be waived, to Phoenix.
Dragic was on the trading block for the last week after he told reporters he didn't trust the Suns' front office heading into free agency at the end of the season. Miami was on the list of Dragic's preferred destinations (Knicks, Lakers) prior to the deadline, and the deal was made with the belief that he'll sign a contract extension with Miami in July, per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
The 28-year-old posted career-best numbers in points per game (20.3) and field goal percentage (50.5) last season. This season, he is averaging 12 points, 4.5 assists and 2.2 turnovers per game while shooting 50.1 percent from the field in 52 games. According to the Palm Beach Post, Dragic's 35.5 percent accuracy from 3-point range is down from 40.8 last year, but would rank fifth on Miami's roster.
Cole will be a free agent this offseason and wasn't expected to return to Miami before the deal was made, per the Associated Press. Meanwhile, New Orleans and Williams are expected to reach an agreement on a contract buyout, per Wojnarowski.
