The Miami Heat have agreed to trade veteran center Thomas Bryant to the Indiana Pacers, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The trade will be finalized on Sunday, when Bryant becomes eligible to be dealt. As part of the agreement, the Pacers will send a second-round pick swap to Miami.
Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald corroborated the report, highlighting that moving Bryant’s contract will leave the Heat with just 13 standard contracts. This financial adjustment could provide flexibility for Miami to convert a two-way player, such as Dru Smith, to a standard deal.
Notably, Ian Begley of SNY.tv reported that the Pacers had considered including James Wiseman in the trade. However, Wiseman, who tore his Achilles tendon on opening night, remains sidelined for the season, and no such exchange took place.
Indiana has several ways to absorb Bryant’s contract, including the use of a minimum-salary exception. With an open roster spot, the Pacers can add Bryant without needing to release another player.
Bobby Marks of ESPN noted that the Heat will save $4.7 million in projected luxury tax payments by offloading Bryant’s $2,087,519 salary. Additionally, the team will create a traded player exception equivalent to the value of Bryant’s outgoing contract, placing Miami approximately $3.7 million below the league’s second tax apron.
Indiana has been actively searching for a backup center following season-ending Achilles injuries to both Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson. Jake Fischer previously reported that a deal was expected to materialize shortly after December 15, when more players across the NBA become trade-eligible.
Assuming the trade is finalized on Sunday, the Heat will have until December 29 to add a 14th player to their standard roster.
Bryant, 27, is in his eighth NBA season, with previous stints on the Lakers, Wizards, and Nuggets before signing with Miami. He was part of the Denver Nuggets’ 2023 championship team but played a limited role. In the current season, Bryant has averaged 4.3 points and 3.2 rebounds across 10 games, logging about 11.5 minutes per contest. He re-signed with the Heat over the offseason on a one-year, minimum-salary deal.