The Miami Heat made their first move near the trading deadline by sending forward KZ Okapala to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
In exchange, the Heat will receive a 2026 second-round draft pick. Okpala, who the Heat drafted in the second round in 2019, was in his third season. He spent most of the past two months on the injured list.
Okpala, who played at Stanford, has appeared in 63 career NBA games (nine starts), all with the Heat, and averaged 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.4 minutes while shooting 40.6 percent from the field. He has also appeared in 20 G League games (all starts) with the Sioux Falls Skyforce and averaged 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.40 steals, 1.05 blocks and 28.6 minutes.
The Heat return to action Thursday against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Heat are on a three-game winning streak after Monday's victory against the Washington Wizards. They hold the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference standings.
The NBA trading deadline is Thursday. The Heat have been rumored to be in trade talks with center Omer Yurtseven and possibly Duncan Robinson.
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