Heat trade KZ Okpala to Thunder

Zach Lowe: Heat and Thunder have agreed to amend the terms of the first-round pick Miami owes OKC in a way that gives the Heat more flexibility to trade picks now — details in release. KZ Okpala included in trade to Thunder. Potentially important.
Source: Twitter @ZachLowe_NBA

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
(Updates with full luxury-tax, roster, draft-pick, trade-deadline, buyout-market implications.) Heat trade KZ Okpala to Thunder to open roster spot, restructure future pick owed to OKC. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 4:40 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
KZ Okpala traded to the Thunder. Explaining the move from the Heat’s perspective miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… What it means for the Heat’s current roster and stock of draft picks – 4:11 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
To create the roster space to trade for KZ Okpala, the Oklahoma City Thunder terminated the 10-day contract for Mamadi Diakite. The deal was set to expire tomorrow. Diakite still gets the full salary amount of his 10-day contract. – 3:55 PM Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Thunder acquire KZ Okpala from Heat sportando.basketball/en/thunder-acq… – 3:44 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
i had written a nice little KZ Okpala feature, then he immediately got injured. was waiting to run it when he got back but now it won’t ever be published. – 3:37 PM Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Story on the Thunder acquiring KZ Okpala from the Heat, while renegotiating the terms of a previously-traded pick: oklahoman.com/story/sports/n… – 3:34 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
NEW: Heat deals KZ Okpala to Thunder, and now has more first-round picks it can trade miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 3:19 PM Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
KZ Okpala is on an expiring deal, sources have said OKC originally planned to use the open roster spot in a two-for-one salary dump to earn more assets by taking on more money. Okpala has not played since December with a wrist injury. – 3:16 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Heat trade KZ Okpala to Thunder for second-round pick, gain tax, roster, draft-pick flexibility. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 3:16 PM Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
It’s not yet clear if the Thunder plans to keep KZ Okpala. – 3:10 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
The Heat have acquired a 2026 second-round pick from the Thunder in exchange for KZ Okpala. The 2026 second round pick will be the lessor from either Oklahoma City, Dallas or Philadelphia. – 3:02 PM Jon Hamm @JonMHamm
KZ Okpala is in the last season of his contract and can be made a restricted free agent at the end of the season. – 2:59 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Shortly after the trade deadline, I believe the Miami Heat will use some of their remaining MLE to sign Caleb Martin to a deal for more than they could have under the minimum exception. That’s why they did the salary-clearing deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder for KZ Okpala. – 2:57 PM Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
KZ Okpala is shooting 42-percent on corner threes this season. – 2:56 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Heat announces it has acquired a 2026 second round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for KZ Okpala. – 2:48 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The Heat say they have acquired a 2026 second-round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a trade for KZ Okpala. – 2:47 PM JD Shaw @JShawNBA
The Miami Heat have acquired a 2026 second round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for KZ Okpala. – 2:46 PM

More on this storyline

Your Miami HEAT announced today that they have acquired a 2026 second round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for KZ Okpala. The 2026 second round pick will be the lessor from either Oklahoma City, Dallas or Philadelphia, which are owed to the Thunder. Additionally, the HEAT and Thunder have agreed to amend the protections of the first round pick already owed to Oklahoma City via the Clippers originally from Miami to a 2025 first round protected pick, and if not conveyed, to a 2026 unprotected pick. -via NBA.com / February 9, 2022