Thomas Bryant trade completed, will be in uniform Sunday against Pelicans
Center Thomas Bryant is available for Sunday's game against the Pelicans after the trade call was completed. Rick Carlisle: "He's a skilled guy with a big body that can help us."
Sunday was a key day in the NBA because it was the first day that many players around the league became trade eligible. For instance, those who signed with their team in the offseason must wait six months to be moved.
That’s the case for center Thomas Bryant.
Because the Pacers had a trade in place with the Miami Heat a few days ago, he was able to get to Indianapolis, take a physical, and now will be in uniform at 5 p.m. ET when they host the New Orleans Pelicans.
It was the first deal to get done Sunday, officially announced around 10 a.m.
Bryant and his prorated veteran minimum salary ($2.1 million) are incoming for a small cost — giving the Heat the option to swap second-round picks all the way in 2031. I doubt executives Kevin Pritchard and Pat Riley will be running their respective franchises by then.
It also provided the Heat with salary cap savings.
For the Pacers, it is an upgrade from Moses Brown out of the G League. Bryant, 27, has been seeking regular minutes elsewhere after falling out of the rotation with Miami. He’s an enthusiastic and emotional player, and will provide a boost with the second unit.
Typically, the Pacers have been overstocked at center position over the last decade. But things changed right away, in Game 1, when James Wiseman suffered a torn Achilles. And strangely, so did Isaiah Jackson about a week later.
That left them shorthanded at that position. Brown was a stopgap in the short-term, until this key Dec. 15 date, and the Pacers (11-15) hope Bryant will be the answer at backup center. Now, they will still choose to play a smaller lineup at times — with either Pascal Siakam or Obi Toppin sliding over to the 5 position.
Bryant chose to wear No. 3, the same number as Brown before him.
Here’s what head coach Rick Carlisle had to say about Bryant at his pregame availability on Sunday before they hosted the Pelicans.