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Report: Victor Oladipo Traded to Heat; Rockets Get Bradley, Olynyk, Pick Swap
March 25, 2021
Victor Oladipo is on the move again after being traded to the Miami Heat on Thursday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets will receive Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk and a pick swap in the 2022 NBA draft.
It's the fourth career trade for the 2013 No. 2 overall pick and the second of the 2020-21 season. He began the year with the Indiana Pacers before being dealt to Houston in the four-team trade that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets.
The 28-year-old averaged 21.2 points with the Rockets in 20 appearances after averaging 20.0 in nine appearances with Indiana this season.
It's been a bounce-back year overall for Oladipo, who had a down 2019-20 season while recovering from a quad injury that limited him to just 55 games over the past two seasons combined. He averaged just 14.5 points last year, the lowest since his rookie season, adding a career-low 3.9 rebounds per game.
Efficiency remained a problem as the Pacers were swept out of the first round of the 2020 playoffs. He shot just 39.3 percent from the field in the postseason while becoming a tertiary option in the offense.
Oladipo has shown he can be a game-changer in the past, though, earning two All-Star selections, as well as the NBA's Most Improved Player award in 2018-19. He finished that season averaging 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists, also leading the NBA with 2.4 steals per game.
After a pair of campaigns hindered by injury, he appears back on track in the final season of his current contract. He also reportedly turned down a two-year extension with Houston worth $45.2 million, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
With the Rockets falling to 12-31 on the season, the team was clearly trying to recoup some assets before he leaves in the offseason.
The veteran will now try to help the Heat in their playoff push while trying to advance beyond the first round for the first time in his career. Miami reached the NBA Finals last season and has the talent to do so again.
Oladipo gives the squad another quality perimeter scorer who can make an impact defensively alongside Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro, making this a difficult team to game plan against.
Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer had also previously reported the guard wanted to be in Miami, potentially making this a long-term fit if the two sides agree to a new deal this offseason.