Miami Heat center Thomas Bryant will be traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a second-round pick swap, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Friday. The deal cannot be made official until Sunday, as Bryant, who re-signed with the Heat on a one-year, $2.8 million minimum contract last summer, will not be trade-eligible until Dec. 15.
This is not the kind of move that will get everybody buzzing about the beginning of trade season. It will, however, give the Pacers a healthy backup center. Those have been in short supply in Indiana, as both Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman suffered season-ending Achilles injuries less than two weeks into the regular season.
For most of the season, the Pacers have used Obi Toppin as a small-ball center when Myles Turner has been off the court. They signed Moses Brown a few weeks ago but waived him on Monday, opening up a roster spot. Brown played a total of 46 minutes in nine games.
Bryant, 27, was a fixture in Miami's rotation for the first couple of weeks of the season, but this was because Kevin Love was sidelined. He has only appeared in three games since Nov. 8. By trading Bryant, the Heat have given themselves another roster spot and a bit more wiggle room under the second apron, both of which could come in handy if they make more trades.
In 10 appearances for Miami this season, Bryant averaged 4.1 points on 62.4% true shooting, 3.2 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 11.5 minutes per game and shot 6 for 14 (42.9%) on catch-and-shoot 3s.
Indiana is 10-15 on the season and ninth in the East, four games behind the fifth-place Heat. Entering Friday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Pacers have lost five of their last six games.
