According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Miami Heat have traded center Meyers Leonard and a 2027 second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for veteran wing Trevor Ariza. Wojnarowski adds that Leonard must waive his no-trade clause in order for the deal to be completed, due to the one-year Bird restriction on his contract.
Reports that the Heat and Thunder were discussing a deal centered around Ariza, who has yet to play this season, first began on Tuesday.
The trade comes just a week after Leonard publicly made an anti-Semitic slur that caused a fallout with NBA fans, which questions raining down about his character from all. A nine-year pro, Leonard wound up being fined $50,000 for his remarks, banned from team facilities for a week and ordered to attend a cultural diversity program.
That being said, while Wojnarowski reports that Leonard isn’t expected to be a part of the Thunder moving forward, ESPN’s Royce Young corroborates the report that Leonard won’t be joining Oklahoma City.
Leonard, 29-years-old, has a team option on his contract for the 2021-22 season that would pay him $10.2 million if exercised.
Ariza, who has yet to suit up this season, is on the final season of a two-year, $25 million deal he signed with the Sacramento Kings.
