The Miami Heat are trading shooting guard Victor Oladipo to the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to Shams Charania. Oladipo was with the Thunder previously in his career before being traded to the Pacers in the Paul George deal. Now, he’s heading back to OKC. The Heat are also including draft picks in the deal, so this is effectively a salary dump.
Miami is trading Victor Oladipo to Oklahoma City, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2023
This is a ruthless move from the Heat, who are likely moving salaries in an attempt to land a big-time star like Damian Lillard or James Harden. Oladipo, who had opted into his player option with the Heat for the 2023-24 season, was unlikely to be a major contributor due to a knee injury he suffered in the 2023 NBA playoffs. Oladipo faces an uphill battle in terms of making a full recovery, but he has climbed this mountain before in his career and should be able to get back on the court at some point. Unfortunately, the Heat decided they couldn’t afford to wait for that moment to come.