The Oklahoma City Thunder is finalizing a trade to forward Trevor Arizato to the Miami Heat for power forward Meyers Leonard and a second-round pick in 2027, sources told ESPN.
Once the transaction is completed via a business phone call with the league office Wednesday afternoon, there are no expectations that Leonard will be a part of the Thunder in the future, sources said.
Ariza, 35, provides Miami with a versatile and accomplished wing for its pursuit of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Ariza has not played a game in a year and has opted out as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers for the Orlando restart due to family reasons.
Leonard, who was fined $ 50,000 by the NBA for an anti-Semitic comment, had to forgo the unaltered clause in his two-year contract, which included a team option for 2021-2022, which will be rejected as part of a matter of the proceedings complete the deal.
Leonard, who will miss the season with shoulder surgery that concluded his season in February, agreed to facilitate the deal as a good faith gesture to the Heat organization, where he has played since joining Portland in 2019 arrived.
Key to the Oklahoma City deal was securing a new future design choice. Oklahoma City traded in a deal with Detroit last week for another second round in 2027. Oklahoma City is expected to keep Leonard under contract until Thursday’s trade deadline in case there is an opportunity to use his contract in another trade , the sources said.
Since his March 10 commentary, Leonard has been working with members of the South Florida Jewish community, 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 deal with Detroit and Dallas in the off-season. In one week, Ariza was traded from Portland to the Houston Rockets to the Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City.
Ariza has an expiring $ 12.8 million contract.
After starting the season with the Sacramento Kings a year ago, Ariza was traded to the Trail Blazers, where he averaged 11 points and 4.8 rebounds in 21 games as a starter. Ariza has averaged 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in his 16-season career.