SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 18: Nemanja Bjelica #8 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against Kelly Olynyk #9 of the Miami Heat in the second half at Golden 1 Center on February 18, 2021 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
The Miami Heat and the Sacramento Kings have reportedly pulled off a deal that will send Nemanja Bjelica to the Eastern Conference.
Miami Heat supporters have been waiting, hoping to see the front office make a big move on the NBA trade deadline day. While many have been ready to see Kyle Lowry make his way to Miami, that won’t be happening. The same can’t be said for Nemanja Njelica.
According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Heat have agreed to a deal with the Sacramento Kings for the veteran power forward.
Veteran big man Nemanja Njelica is headed to the Miami Heat on NBA trade deadline day
While this isn’t the move fans were hoping for, you can’t knock the front office whatsoever for landing Njelica. The Serbian big man checks in at 6-foot-11, 235 pounds. On the season, he’s averaging 7.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest.
He’s not expected to head to Miami and take over a game offensively, but he can absolutely make a strong contribution on both ends of the floor on any given night. Plus, is landing a 6-foot-11 guy ever a bad thing? Absolutely not.
For the Heat, they’re currently 22-22 on the year and sit in fifth place of the Eastern Conference standings. It hasn’t quite been the campaign everyone expected from Miami, but they’re still in a prime position to make some serious noise in the postseason.
That’s always going to be the case when you have a player of Jimmy Butler’s caliber drilling shots from all over the hardwood. Now, Njelica will join the team and look to impress from the moment he first sets foot at AmericanAirlines Arena. If folks around Miami don’t know who he is, that will surely change soon.