The Miami Heat traded embattled center Meyers Leonard and a future draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for journeyman forward Trevor Ariza on Wednesday.
Leonard waived his no-trade clause so the teams could consummate the deal. The Heat will also send a 2027 second-round pick and a trade exception to the Thunder.
Leonard, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury, was fined $50,000 last week for using an anti-Semitic slur during a video-game livestream earlier this month.
“Meyers was a key part of our team that made a run to the NBA Finals and we will always be grateful for his contributions and leadership last season,” the Heat said in a statement. “His recent comments were very hurtful and disappointing, but, we are encouraged that he has spent this last week meeting with community leaders, Rabbis and Holocaust survivors to greater understand the impact of his words and we hope that his education will continue. We wish Meyers and (wife) Elle the best of luck in the future.”
The Thunder may have made the trade but Leonard will not be joining the team.
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“Leonard will not be reporting to Oklahoma City and will not be an active member of the organization,” the Thunder said in their news release announcing the trade.
Leonard, 29, averaged 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in 54 regular-season games for the Heat.
Ariza, 35, has not appeared in a game for Oklahoma City so far this season as he tends to a custody battle with an ex-girlfriend over their son. He averaged 8.0 points per game last season in 53 games with the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers.
Oklahoma City was Ariza’s 10th team after getting traded to the Thunder as part of a three-team deal in November.
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–Field Level Media