The Miami Heat took over star watch Victor Oladipo from the Houston Rockets on Thursday, it was announced.
Although sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski earlier this week that there was widespread confidence that Houston would trade Oladipo, the teams went through the 3:00 PM ET deadline before agreeing to the trade.
In return, the Rockets will receive guard Avery Bradley, forward Kelly Olynyk and 2022 first-round trading rights. Those trading rights include the selection of the Brooklyn Nets.
With Oladipo in Miami, the Heat is also expected to emerge as a front runner to sign LaMarcus Aldridge, sources told Wojnarowski. The veteran great man completed a buyout with the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, it was announced. Sources told Wojnarowski the buyout was $ 5.8 million
Five years of unforgettable memories … Thank you, San Antonio! pic.twitter.com/tRscfpnZax
– LaMarcus Aldridge (@ aldridge_12) March 25, 2021
Aldridge plans to talk to different teams before making a decision, Wojnarowski said.
Miami also landed Nemanja Bjelica of the Sacramento Kings ahead of attackers Maurice Harkless and Chris Silva.
Oladipo, 28, is in the final season of a four-year $ 85 million deal and could become a free agent this summer. He ripped his quad in January 2019, but he’s shown flashes of his old self in gigs with Indiana and Houston this season. Oladipo has averaged 21.2 points in 20 games with the Rockets, although his efficiency was not optimal.
He arrived in Houston as part of a four-team exchange that brought All-NBA guard James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets. The Rockets offered Oladipo a two-year $ 45 million contract – the maximum offer they could make during the season under the collective bargaining agreement – but Oladipo turned it down, sources said.
Oladipo has averaged 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists with the Rockets this season. For his nine-year career, including stops at the Orlando Magic, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, he averaged 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists.
The two-time All-Star squad was also a top defender and was named to the All-Defensive First Team in 2018 when he led the NBA in steals and was also named the league’s most improved player.
The Rockets, who lost to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday after ending a 20-game lost streak Monday night, are in a mode to collect young players and pick assets as they head towards a rebuild.
Olynyk, an eight-year veteran with an expiring deal, has averaged 10.0 points and 6.1 rebounds for the Heat this season. He spent his first four seasons with the Celtics and had career averages of 9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds.
Bradley, who scores an average of 8.5 points, has barely played this season due to COVID-19 and a calf injury afterwards. He also played for the Pistons, Clippers, Grizzlies and Lakers during his career, averaging 11.7 points and 2.9 rebounds over 11 seasons.