James Wiseman Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Porter, Celtics, Magic, Hornets, Wiseman

October 1st, 2025 at 12:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Responding to a question about Kevin Porter Jr.‘s increased responsibilities in 2025/26 now that Damian Lillard is no longer on the roster, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers suggested that the plan will be to start Porter at point guard, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).

“He started out as a high draft pick. He started. They put the ball in his hands. He could literally take any shot and he did,” Rivers said. “And now he comes from that, from not playing at times, coming off the bench, being out of the league, to now back to starting. And that’s a huge a responsibility for him to run the team and still be aggressive. That’s the hardest thing to do, I think, in basketball is from the point guard, understand when and when. It’s just hard, and so I’m sure at times he’ll be great at it and then at times he may struggle at it, but we’ll support him and get him right.”

As Rivers alluded to in his comments, Porter was the starting point guard in Houston from 2021-23, but was out of the NBA during the 2023/24 season due to a domestic violence incident.

Returning to action last season, Porter was up and down for the Clippers, but thrived following a deadline deal to Milwaukee. In 30 regular season outings for the Bucks, he averaged 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 19.9 minutes per game and posted a shooting line of .494/.408/.871.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Brian Robb of MassLive.com shares his takeaways from the Celtics‘ first day of practice on Tuesday, which featured an appearance from former Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins. Jenkins got a first-hand look at another former Grizzly, big man Xavier Tillman, who appears to be back to 100% after being plagued by knee issues in 2024/25. “From just a playing perspective, (last season) was very hard,” Tillman said, per Robb. “Just wanting to play, wanting to contribute. But I also knew I was going through stuff myself. My knee would have days where it would just swell up into a balloon after I had one scrimmage or stuff like that. So I knew consistency-wise, I could be there to kind of support. But as far as my actual play, I couldn’t do everything I wanted to do.”
Speaking of former Grizzlies, Magic newcomers Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones also played together in Memphis under Jenkins, and their chemistry has been on display so far at Orlando’s training camp, as Joe Vardon of The Athletic details. “There’s a comfort level that they have with one another,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said of the duo. “Their veteran leadership, knowing that they’re calling each other out, going to the same baskets. There’s just something about them and their experience through this league that just says, one, they’ve been together before and, if I didn’t (already) know it, I would have thought it.”
The Hornets officially announced a series of changes and additions to their basketball operations staff, including confirming that former Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune as been hired as an assistant coach, as was first reported in August.
Although he admits he was “shocked” and disappointed when he tore his Achilles last fall, Pacers center James Wiseman said he got through the recovery process “one day at a time” and believes he’s now in the best shape of his career, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. According to head coach Rick Carlisle, Wiseman was one of the team’s best performers in a conditioning test last week. “You think about what he’s gone through with his rehab and everything else and this is a week before camp, he’s out there with some of our best conditioned wings and guards,” Carlisle said. “That’s a strong statement.”

Pacers Notes: Nembhard, Siakam, Mathurin, Centers

September 30th, 2025 at 2:33pm CST by Luke Adams

After starting alongside Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton for most of his first three NBA seasons, Andrew Nembhard is preparing to take on a more significant on-ball role in 2025/26 as Haliburton spends the year recovering from the Achilles tear he suffered in June.

“It changes my whole perception of the game,” Nembhard said on Monday, per Joshua Heron of The Indianapolis Star. “Bringing the ball up is a whole new way of looking at the game instead of running off the ball.”

While Haliburton has been Indiana’s offensive engine and lead play-maker since joining the Pacers in 2022, it won’t simply be a matter of plugging in Nembhard as the new point guard and making Pascal Siakam the primary scoring option, according to Siakam, who suggested that replacing Haliburton will be a group effort.

“I think for us, last year and the way we play, it’s always been about team,” the star forward said, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “It’s never been about one person. I think this year it’s not gonna be different. We all are gonna have to do it collectively. I was telling the guys, it’s not going to take one person to replace Ty. We’re gonna all have to do it collectively. That’s the way we have to think about it.”

Siakam is aware that he’ll be one of the players who is asked to take on more ball-handling and play-making responsibilities without Haliburton available. That’s not a problem for the 31-year-old, who got accustomed to operating on the ball and initiating the offense during his time in Toronto.

“I’ve done that in the past,” Siakam said. “I think just watching my last two years you don’t really see some of the other things I’ve done before. I feel like one of the funniest questions coach asked me was, ‘Oh, have you had a triple-double before?’ It was like, “Well yeah, I’ve had multiple.’ I can do that too. I feel like what makes me different is that I can adapt to every situation and I’ve worked on every facet of my game.”

We have more out of Indiana:

It’s an important fall for Bennedict Mathurin, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension and is on track to join Nembhard in Indiana’s starting backcourt. The fourth-year wing said at media day on Monday that making “better reads and smarter decisions” will be a key to success for him, according to Dopirak. Head coach Rick Carlisle agreed. “We just need him to run hard, shoot open shots that are there and make simple reads offensively. Our game is played best when it’s fast and simple,” Carlisle said, adding that Mathurin will likely see greater defensive challenges too. “… There’s a very good chance he’ll be asked to guard the ball on a lot of situations.”
Four spots in the Pacers’ starting lineup look set, as Aaron Nesmith will likely join Nembhard, Mathurin, and Siakam in that group. That leaves the center spot up for grabs, with Isaiah Jackson and Jay Huff considered the leading candidates and James Wiseman and Tony Bradley also in the mix. “We have four guys that really are very, very good,” Carlisle said, per Dopirak. “They all bring something different. A lot of this, we just gotta play it out in training camp and the preseason games and see what’s what. I don’t have any preconceived notions as to who’s going to start.” Carlisle acknowledged that Jackson has been working with the starting group in pickup games, but praised the other three centers on the roster and noted that Huff’s ability to shoot and protect the rim will be an “important ingredient” for the club.
In a separate story for The Indy Star, Dopirak passed along notable media day quotes from several other Pacers players, including T.J. McConnell, who knows that he and a few of his teammates will have to step up as leaders with Haliburton out and James Johnson no longer on the team. “I’ve never been a guy to use my voice too much,” McConnell said. “… James and Tyrese were those constant voices. Not only myself, but others have to step up and have more of a voice, not just when they see something.”

Pacers Notes: Huff, Wiseman, Oladipo, Johnson, Haliburton

July 25th, 2025 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

After losing longtime starting center Myles Turner to the division-rival Bucks, the Pacers will take a “by committee” approach to the position in 2025/26, general manager Chad Buchanan confirmed during an appearance on the Setting The Pace podcast (YouTube link).

The team re-signed Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman earlier this month and made a trade with Memphis to acquire Jay Huff. Veteran journeyman Tony Bradley is also in the mix, though his contract is fully non-guaranteed, so if Jackson and Wiseman are fully recovered from Achilles tears, there may not be room for him on the regular season roster.

Discussing the team’s deal for Huff, Buchanan pointed out that the big man had a huge game against the Pacers’ G League team in the playoffs a couple years ago and added that Indiana’s analytics department had its eye on the 27-year-old for a while.

“Watching him in Memphis this year when he got his opportunity, he really shined,” Buchanan said (hat tip to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). “He had moments of running the floor, finishing lobs, shooting threes, protecting the rim. He’s not a perfect player by any means — he’s got areas that he needs to be better at and improve at. But we felt like what we were losing in Myles and what Jay provided at the age he was at, his basketball IQ, his feel of the game were really good fits for the way we play.”

Buchanan also spoke highly of Jackson and Wiseman, suggesting that Jackson’s skill set will give the Pacers’ lineup a different look and stating that the team remains just as bullish on Wiseman as it was when it first signed him a year ago.

“He’s in a great spot physically,” Buchanan said of the former No. 2 overall pick. “He still has to go through the hurdles of playing in a 5-on-5 game and things like that, but we’re very encouraged with where his recovery is going.”

Here’s more on the Pacers:

Buchanan confirmed on the Setting The Pace podcast that Indiana was among the teams that attended Victor Oladipo‘s workout in Las Vegas (YouTube link). However, he didn’t suggest that a reunion with the former Pacers All-Star is forthcoming . “Obviously, we have a history with Victor,” the Pacers’ GM said (hat tip to Dopirak). “We’re always going to be looking for, if it’s the right player at the right time that fits us, we’re going to have to consider it whether it’s Victor or not. Many teams watched along with us. We get tied to him because he’s a former player of ours. I don’t think we’re any different than any other team that watched him out there.”
Veteran forward James Johnson, who has been with the Pacers for parts of the last three seasons, hopes to continue his playing career, according to Buchanan, though it’s unclear whether Indiana will have room on its roster for him (YouTube link). “Tyrese (Haliburton)’s injury creates a butterfly effect with what we have to plan on and how the roster fits together,” Buchanan said (hat tip to Dopirak). “Right now, it could be challenging to find a spot for James, as much as we want him back.” The GM did acknowledge “that could change,” and it’s worth noting that Johnson didn’t start the 2023/24 season on the Pacers’ roster but was eventually added, first on a non-guaranteed contract, then on 10-day deals, then on a rest-of-season agreement.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show (YouTube link) this week, Haliburton said that he has been in touch with both Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant to discuss the recovery process from a torn Achilles. Souichi Terada of MassLive.com has the details

Contract Details: KPJ, J. Smith, Wiseman, Schröder, Stevens

July 8th, 2025 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite the fact that the Bucks used their room exception to complete the signing, guard Kevin Porter Jr. received the exact value of the bi-annual exception on his new two-year deal, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. The first year is worth $5,134,000, with a second-year player option worth $5,390,700. The move leaves roughly $3.65MM on Milwaukee’s room exception.

A player who re-signs with his previous team on either a one-year contract or a two-year deal with a second-year option is typically awarded the right to veto a trade for the rest of that season. However, Porter is one of a few players, along with Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes, who have waived that right as part of their new deals.

Sixers guard Eric Gordon and Raptors wing Garrett Temple have also given up that right to veto a trade, Hoops Rumors has confirmed.

We have more details on some of the recently signed contracts from around the league:

Jabari Smith Jr.‘s five-year, $122MM rookie scale extension with the Rockets declines in the second season before increasing in each of the final three years, notes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. That dip in 2027/28 comes during the season in which an extension for Amen Thompson figures to be hitting Houston’s books — it could also be the final year of Kevin Durant‘s contract, if he signs a two-year extension with the team at some point.
James Wiseman‘s new two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Pacers, which features a second-year team option, is partially guaranteed for $1MM in 2025/26, Hoops Rumors has learned. If Wiseman’s option for ’26/27 is exercised, that year’s salary would be partially guaranteed for roughly $1.13MM.
Dennis Schröder‘s three-year deal with the Kings, which is worth exactly the three-year value of the mid-level exception ($44,427,600), is partially guaranteed for $4.35MM in the third year, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Although the contract fits into the MLE, Sacramento is believed to have used an existing trade exception to accommodate the acquisition of Schröder.
Isaiah Stevens‘ two-way contract agreement with the Kings will cover two years, according to Scotto (Twitter link).

Pacers Sign James Wiseman

July 7th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Luke Adams

10:00 pm: Wiseman signed a two-year, minimum-salary contract with a partial guarantee and a second-year team option, according to Tony East of Locked on Pacers (Twitter link). It’s a similar structure to the deal the big man received from the team last offseason.

2:31 pm: The Pacers have brought back free agent center James Wiseman, the team confirmed in a press release. President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard had told reporters earlier in the day that a new deal with Wiseman was in the works.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Wiseman signed with the Pacers as a free agent a year ago after playing for Golden State and Detroit in his first four NBA seasons. The big man impressed Indiana in the preseason and appeared to have the edge for the backup center role behind Myles Turner, but tore his left Achilles in the club’s regular season opener.

Wiseman has dealt with several injuries in his young career, including missing the entire 2021/22 season following knee surgery. Over the course of five years, the 24-year-old has appeared in 148 total games (55 starts), averaging 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per contest.

As Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets, Pritchard said on Monday that Wiseman will get an opportunity to compete in Indiana’s new Turner-less frontcourt alongside Jay Huff, Tony Bradley, and restricted free agent Isaiah Jackson, who is considered likely to re-sign.

It’s unclear whether or not Wiseman’s salary will be guaranteed or if he’s assured of a regular season roster spot — it’s possible he’ll be vying for a 15-man spot with Bradley, whose salary is non-guaranteed. Still, Pritchard spoke enthusiastically today about Wiseman.

“We saw a lot of potential in him in the preseason and going up until his injury,” Pritchard said, per Matthew Glenesk and Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “Very long. Very athletic. Becoming a better shooter. I think he’s getting to that point where his injury is allowing him to get on the court and — not full, but do a lot. I think (assistant coach) Jim Boylen has done a great job with him and Isaiah quite frankly, in this shortened summer and they’ll continue to work. You don’t replace Myles but a combination of those players, we’re going to have to rely on.”

Free Agent Rumors: Guards, Kuminga, Pacers, Hayes

July 7th, 2025 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

An expectation that Bradley Beal will soon become an unrestricted free agent is affecting the markets for free agent guards Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and Malcolm Brogdon, who are drawing interest from many of the same teams, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

According to Fischer, the Clippers, Lakers, Bucks, and Timberwolves are among the teams expected to have interest in signing Beal if and when he finalizes a buyout agreement with the Suns, which seems increasingly likely. A previous report also identified the Warriors as a possible suitor for Beal, with the Heat viewed as less likely after their trade for Norman Powell.

The Clippers and Bucks are known to have interest in Paul, Fischer points out, so if Beal ends up with one of those teams, it would likely rule that club out for CP3, perhaps increasing the odds of the 40-year-old reuniting with the Suns.

As for Brogdon, he has the Clippers, Suns, Lakers, Warriors, Timberwolves, and Bucks are also among the teams that have registered some level of interest in him, along with the Pelicans and Kings, Fischer reports.

Free agents like De’Anthony Melton and Ben Simmons may also find themselves involved in this game of backcourt musical chairs, according to Fischer, who suggests that their potential landing spots should become more clearer once one or two of those top guards – starting with Beal – finds a new home.

Here are a few more notes on free agents from around the NBA:

There was no traction on the Jonathan Kuminga front over the weekend, sources tell Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Slater, the Kings have been the most aggressive suitor for the Warriors restricted free agent so far, but nothing has come close. In fact, the market for all of the top restricted free agents remains “ice cold,” Slater adds.
The Pacers are expected to reunite with a pair of familiar faces to fill out their frontcourt. Speaking to reporters today, president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said the club is planning to re-sign James Wiseman and that things are trending in the right direction with restricted free agent Isaiah Jackson (Twitter links via Tony East).
Veteran center Jaxson Hayes gave up his right to veto a trade this season when he re-signed with the Lakers, reports Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link). By default, a player re-signing with his previous team on a one-year contract gets a de facto no-trade clause, but a team can ask a player to waive that right as part of his new deal.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Reserves, Butler, Hield, 2020 Draft

May 7th, 2025 at 8:01am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors‘ 99-88 Game 1 victory over the Timberwolves on Tuesday came at a big cost. Stephen Curry suffered a left hamstring strain in the second quarter and missed the second half.

“He’s obviously crushed,” coach Steve Kerr said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “But the guys picked him up and played a great game, and obviously we’re all concerned about Steph but it’s part of the game.”

Kerr doubts Curry, who will undergo an MRI today, can play in Game 2. Curry limped out of the arena and didn’t speak to the media.

“We don’t know yet,” Kerr said. “But with a hamstring, it’s hard to imagine that he would play Thursday.”

Forward Draymond Green is optimistic the team can hold its own until Curry returns, especially with another proven playoff performer in Jimmy Butler.

“Jimmy’s capable of carrying a team. He carried a team to the Finals twice. So we won’t panic,” Green said. “We will figure out what that means. We have the best coaching staff in the NBA. We know they’ll put us in a good spot and let us know what our offense looks like without Steph if we have to go on without him. We got full confidence in the guys that are on this team that we can make plays, can make shots.”

We have more on the Warriors:

Bench contributions from Pat Spencer, Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney helped the Warriors to overcome Curry’s absence, Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes. Thrust into backup point guard duties, Spencer had two steals, two rebounds and a pair of key baskets. Payton, sidelined in Game 7 of the first round by an illness, played a bench-high 26 minutes and supplied four assists, five rebounds and eight points. Looney secured two late offensive rebounds.
Butler and Buddy Hield dragged the Warriors to the finish line offensively. Butler finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and two steals, while Hield scored all but two of his 24 points after halftime. “I’m Batman today,” Hield quipped. “I saved the day.” Hield is in the first year of a four-year, $37.8MM contract.
The Timberwolves and Warriors had the top two picks in the 2020 draft — Minnesota got a star in Anthony Edwards, Golden State swung and missed with James Wiseman. Slater offers details on the developments leading up to that draft, reporting that the Warriors had conversations about trading out, trading back and even the trading up for Minnesota’s selection before ultimately deciding to retain the No. 2 pick.

Raptors Acquire, Waive James Wiseman

February 6th, 2025 at 10:03pm CST by Earnest Marshall

10:03 pm: The Raptors have issued a press release confirming their deal with the Pacers and announcing that Wiseman has been waived. That’s a clear signal that the trade was just about the cash for Toronto, which still has an open spot on its 15-man roster and will have a second opening when Orlando Robinson‘s 10-day deal expires tonight.

2:16 pm: The Pacers are trading James Wiseman and cash to the Raptors, according to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). Wiseman is currently out for the season due to a torn Achilles after signing a two-year, minimum-salary deal last offseason.

In return, the Pacers are getting a top-55 protected second-round pick from the Raptors, according to IndyStar’s Dustin Dopirak (Twitter links). That pick is for the 2026 draft.

The former No. 2 overall pick only appeared in one game this season due to his injury. Prior to that he had stints with the Warriors (where he was drafted in 2020) and Pistons. In 148 career games (55 starts) he holds averages of 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds.

Wiseman has a team option worth $2.5MM for next season. If the Raptors opt to exercise that option, they could take a flier on a former highly rated recruit who is still only 23 years old and matches up with Toronto’s timeline. They could also turn down the option in favor of extra flexibility.

Toronto will have a full 15-man roster after the move, if no other changes to reported deals involving Brandon Ingram or P.J. Tucker occur.

As for the Pacers, they gain a bit more of a cushion under the luxury tax and open up a roster spot, which could help them be players on the buyout market. Specifically, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (Twitter link), the Pacers will move from being $147K below the tax to about $2.3MM below it.

Central Notes: Rollins, Beauchamp, I. Jackson, Nesmith, Cunningham

January 4th, 2025 at 7:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

Point guard Ryan Rollins has been a valuable addition for the Bucks, but the team will eventually have to make a decision on his contract status, writes Jim Owczarski of The Journal Sentinel. Rollins’ two-way deal allows him to be on the active roster for 50 games. Even though he’s only played in 18 games, he’s been active for 25, which means he’s already used up half his eligibility. If Milwaukee wants to keep him on the court past 50 games and make him eligible for the playoffs, he’ll have to be converted to a standard contract.

“I don’t think about it, but it does come into play eventually,” Rollins said. “Hopefully I just continue to play and best of best they convert me. That’s what I’m hoping for. Praying for that, so just gotta keep rolling with what I’m doing right now and just stick with it. Everything works out how it’s supposed to work out at the end of the day. I’m a true believer in that, so I’m not really worried about it too much.”

Selected with the 44th pick in the 2022 draft, Rollins had short stints with Golden State and Washington, but didn’t see much playing time with either team. After the Wizards waived him, Rollins signed with the Bucks last February on a two-way deal that carried over into this season. He’s averaging 4.4 PPG in 11.6 minutes per night, and coach Doc Rivers has been impressed by his athleticism and defensive intensity, according to Owczarski.

There’s more from the Central Division:

The Bucks have a full 15-man roster, so someone would have to be waived to create an opening to give Rollins a standard contract. That could wind up being small forward MarJon Beauchamp, who has seen his playing time drop significantly in his third NBA season, Owczarski adds in the same piece. Beauchamp was a first-round pick in 2022, but he’s slipped far outside the rotation, averaging just 3.9 minutes in 15 games. “I feel like the work I put in is keeping me confident, you know? Having the right approach and mindset,” he said. “I feel like I’m getting better – not saying that I don’t support my teammates – but just being a better teammate (with) high energy, supporting my team, just learning different aspects I feel like I can grow in.”
Pacers center Isaiah Jackson, who underwent surgery in November for a torn Achilles tendon, was back with the team for its December 31 game, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Agness notes that Jackson and James Wiseman, who suffered the same injury on opening night, were able to accompany their teammates on a flight to Miami this week as they continue their rehab.
Meeting with reporters before tonight’s game, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said injured forward Aaron Nesmith has been able to take part in five-on-five scrimmages, tweets Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Nesmith has been sidelined since November 1 with a sprained left ankle, and Carlisle said it will take time for him to get reconditioned because he’s been out of action for so long.
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been experiencing knee soreness this week, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). “He’s run a ton for us and is carrying a heavy burden for us,” said coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who added that he’s working with the medical staff to alleviate the condition.

Heat Trade Thomas Bryant To Pacers

December 15th, 2024 at 9:47am CST by Rory Maher

DECEMBER 15: The trade is official, the Pacers announced in a press release. Bryant is expected to be available for today’s game against New Orleans.

DECEMBER 13: The Heat have agreed to trade veteran center Thomas Bryant to the Pacers, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN.

In exchange for Bryant, Miami will acquire the right to swap 2031 second-round picks with the Pacers, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The deal will have to wait until Sunday, as that’s when Bryant becomes trade-eligible.

As Chiang notes (Twitter links), by dumping Bryant’s salary, the Heat will soon have just 13 players on standard contracts and more financial flexibility to potentially convert a player on a two-way deal to a standard contract — this morning we identified Dru Smith as a possible candidate to be promoted.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv hears the Pacers discussed sending James Wiseman to the Heat in the deal, but he won’t be included in the final version (Twitter link). Wiseman is out for the season after sustaining a torn Achilles tendon on opening night.

The Pacers won’t have to send out matching salary to acquire Bryant, since his contract can be taken on using the minimum-salary exception. Since Indiana has an open standard roster spot, the team also won’t need to waive anyone to add Bryant.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), the Heat will save $4.7MM toward their projected luxury tax payment by moving off Bryant’s $2,087,519 salary. They’ll also create a traded player exception worth the exact amount of Bryant’s outgoing contract. Miami will be approximately $3.7MM below the second tax apron once the deal is finalized, Marks adds.

Charania reported a few days ago that Indiana was “actively pursuing” a backup center in the wake of season-ending injuries to Wiseman and fellow big man Isaiah Jackson, who also suffered a torn Achilles tendon this fall. Jake Fischer confirmed that report today, with league sources indicating a deal would likely be completed shortly after Dec. 15, when many players around the NBA become eligible to be traded.

Assuming the trade is completed on Sunday, the Heat will have until Dec. 29 to add a 14th player to their standard roster. The club will also now have the ability to add a 15th man while staying below the second apron, if it so chooses.

Bryant, 27, is an eight-year veteran, having previously played for the Lakers, Wizards and Nuggets prior to joining Miami. He won a title with Denver in 2023, though his role was very limited. The big man played his college ball in Indiana with the Hoosiers from 2015-17.

After being in and out of Miami’s rotation in 2023/24, Bryant’s role fluctuated once again fluctuated this season. He averaged 4.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game across 10 outings with the Heat this fall after re-signing on a one-year, minimum-salary deal over the offseason.

Bryant’s one-year deal with Miami would typically have given him the right to veto a trade, but he agreed to waive that right as part of his contract agreement.