Oklahoma City Thunder is finalizing a negotiation to send striker Trevor Ariza to the Miami Heat for striker Meyers Leonard and a second-round pick in 2027, sources told ESPN.
Once the transaction is completed through a business call to the NBA office on Wednesday afternoon, there is no expectation that Leonard will be part of Thunder in the future, the sources said.
Ariza, 35, offers Miami a versatile and talented side player for his Eastern Conference playoff play. Ariza hasn’t played a game in a year, opting out of Orlando’s restart for family considerations as a member of the Trail Blazers.
Leonard, who the NBA fined $ 50,000 for an anti-Semitic slander last week, had to waive the no-deal clause in his two-year contract, which included a team option for 2021-22 – which will be refused as part of a procedural issue at the conclusion of the deal.
Leonard, who had shoulder surgery at the end of the season in February, agreed to facilitate the deal as a gesture of good faith for the Heat organization, where he has played since arriving at a 2019 Portland deal.
The key to the Oklahoma City deal was to stock up on another future draft choice. Oklahoma City negotiated for another 2027 runoff choice last week in a deal with Detroit. Oklahoma City accumulated 17 choices in the first round and 15 choices in the second round until the 2027 draft. Oklahoma City is expected to keep Leonard under contract until Thursday’s trade deadline if there is an opportunity to use his contract in another transaction, the sources said.
Since his comments on March 8, Leonard has worked with the Jewish community in South Florida, the sources said. He will continue to rehabilitate his shoulder and train in the area.
Oklahoma City acquired Ariza as part of a three-team offseason deal with Detroit and Dallas. In a single week, Ariza was traded from Portland to Houston, from Detroit to Oklahoma City.
Ariza has an expiring contract of $ 12.8 million.
After starting the season with Sacramento a year ago, Ariza was traded to the Trail Blazers, where he averaged 11 points and 4.8 rebounds in 21 games. Ariza has averaged 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in his career over 16 seasons.