The Pacers are set to address their back up center needs with the acquisition of Thomas Bryant from the Heat. Indiana will give up a future second-round pick swap right to Miami in the deal, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Worth noting, Bryant only becomes trade eligible on Sunday, Dec. 15 and so will only be trade eligible then. He averaged 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11 minutes per game with Miami.
The Miami Heat have agreed on a trade to send center Thomas Bryant to the Indiana Pacers, sources tell ESPN. The Pacers will send a swap of a future second-round pick to the Heat for Bryant, who is trade-eligible on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/7mFjeICgZW
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 13, 2024
Indiana was desperate to find a big man after losing both Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman to torn Achilles tendons. As a result of those injuries, the Pacers have been forced to go smaller and rely on some center minutes from Pascal Siakam, Obi Toppin, and 50th overall pick in this year’s draft Enrique Freeman.
In general, the Pacers have been stymied by injuries this season as Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Ben Sheppard have all missed time for a variety of ailments.
Nesmith hasn’t played since a Nov. 1 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans due to an ankle injury. Sheppard has been out for nearly a month now with a left oblique strain. Nembhard recently returned to the lineup but has been managing a left wrist sprain after being out with a left knee injury that forced him to miss 12 games.
Throw in Tyrese Haliburton’s slow start to the season and it’s easy to see why the Pacers have won just 10 of 25 games so far this season after a trip to the East Finals last season.
An eight-year veteran, Bryant is a 6-foot-10 big man who can provide some floor spacing and is a solid rebounder, though he has historically been a weak team defender.
Miami still has veteran Kevin Love and the 15th overall pick from this past summer’s draft in Kel’el Ware to rely on for backup center minutes behind Bam Adebayo. Ware is a seven-foot center out of Indiana.
Is this just the beginning of Heat’s trade season with all the rumors circling about Jimmy Butler?
