The Oklahoma City Thunder are finalizing a deal to send Trevor Arizato to the Miami Heat for striker Meyers Leonard and a second-round pick in 2027, sources told ESPN.
Once the deal is completed through a business call to the league’s office Wednesday afternoon, there is no expectation that Leonard will be part of the Thunder in the future, sources said.
The 35-year-old Ariza offers Miami a versatile and accomplished wing to push himself into the Eastern Conference playoffs. Ariza has not played a game in a year, giving up the Orlando replay due to family considerations as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Leonard, who was fined $ 50,000 by the NBA for an anti-Semitic comment, had to drop his two-year contract amendment clause, which included a team option for 2021-2022, which will be rejected as part of issuing the procedure for completing the transaction.
Leonard, who will miss the season with shoulder surgery that ended the season in February, has agreed to facilitate the deal as a gesture of good faith to the Heat organization, where he has played since joining a transaction for Portland in 2019 .
The key to the deal for Oklahoma City was the accumulation of a new election in the project. Oklahoma City traded last week with another selection from the second round of 2027, in an agreement with Detroit. Oklahoma City is expected to keep Leonard under contract until Thursday’s trading deadline, if there is a possibility to use his contract in another transaction, sources said.
Since his March 10 comments, Leonard has worked with members of the Jewish community in South Florida, 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 offseason. In one week, Ariza was changed from Portland to the Houston Rockets to the Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City.
Ariza has an expiring contract for $ 12.8 million.
After starting the season with the Sacramento Kings a year ago, Ariza was transferred 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-year career.