Right when it looked like the Houston Rockets weren't trading Victor Oladipo before the NBA trade deadline, they got in a deal right at the buzzer. Oladipo is heading to the Miami Heat, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium says it's for Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley and a draft swap.
Oladipo had been linked to the Heat for a while, but Kyle Lowry looked like a likelier option ahead of this deadline. Instead, Lowry isn't going anywhere and Oladipo is taking his talents to South Beach.
This is the second time Victor Oladipo has been traded this season. He went from the Indiana Pacers to the Houston Rockets as part of the James Harden trade, with Caris LeVert going to the Pacers in the deal.
The Rockets were hoping Oladipo would form a dynamic backcourt duo with John Wall, but it wasn't meant to be. The shooting guard struggled during his time in Houston, and the Rockets recently just lost 20 straight games. In the midst of a lost season and Oladipo's upcoming free agency, it's no surprise he was dealt, but the James Harden trade is looking worse and worse now after this deal.
While Oladipo hasn't played all that well since he suffered a devastating injury during the 2018-19 season, this is a worthwhile gamble for a Heat team looking for a spark at just 22-22. Bradley hasn't been playing due to an injury, while Olynyk is simply a nice rotational big. If Victor Oladipo can find his game again, he gives Miami a higher ceiling come playoff time. The Heat making this move and not trading Tyler Herro or Duncan Robinson is a plus.
Miami also traded for Nemanja Bjelica on Thursday and had already dealt for Trevor Ariza.
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