INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers will acquire center Thomas Bryant in a trade with the Miami Heat, per multiple reports. Shams Charania of ESPN was first to share news of the impending transaction.

Bryant, 27, is on a minimum salary deal that he signed in the 2024 offseason, meaning he can be traded with no salary going back in return. The Pacers and Heat will swap second-round draft picks in 2031 to complete the trade — and Indiana has an open roster spot after moving on from big man Moses Brown earlier this week.

Because Bryant signed a new contract in the offseason, he can’t be moved until December 15, so this deal won’t be finalized until Sunday at the earliest. The Pacers play a game tonight, then again on Sunday at home before a three-day gap with no games.

Why the Pacers are trading for Thomas Bryant

It’s no secret that the Pacers needed center depth, especially after moving on from Brown. Likely season-ending injuries to James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson have forced the blue and gold to play small at times, and starting center Myles Turner is currently averaging a career high in minutes per game. Indiana is doing all they can to put together a frontcourt rotation amid injuries.

“There are business implications, there are timing implications,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of his team waiving Brown earlier this week. “There’s a lot of stuff to consider with that,” he added. The timing implication has to do with both Bryant’s trade date restriction and Brown’s per-day cap hit. The dates of these moves give Indiana the most wiggle room possible to keep building their team while adding a backup center that they desperately need.

“December 15th is getting here somewhat soon, and I think there’s no secret that that’s a day where there’s going to be some activity through the league beginning,” Carlisle explained.

Indiana has tried many options at backup center, including Brown. Their most common choice by far has been a frontcourt combination with both Obi Toppin and Pascal Siakam — Enrique Freeman and Jarace Walker have also been factors. They have all been involved in smaller groups for the blue and gold as they try to survive without many larger options behind Turner.

That has led to struggles, though, particularly on defense and on the glass. Bryant, who has his own limitations, has size and some range, which should allow him to soak up some minutes for Indiana without leading to as many sacrifices.

Bryant attended Indiana University, just about an hour South of where the Pacers play. His former Heat teammate, Kel’el Ware, also went to IU, and the two talked about the success of the Hoosiers football team this season. “This guy really works behind the scenes,” Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Bryant recently.

The to-be Pacer is in his eighth NBA season. On top of the Heat, he’s played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, and Denver Nuggets. He won a title in 2023 with Denver and reached the playoffs with the Heat last season. For his career, the New York native has averaged 9.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

This season, Bryant is averaging 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per night. His numbers, and minutes, are down, which made it easier for the Heat to let him go. Miami is also over the luxury tax, so they get significant financial savings in this deal — that makes it easier for them to give away a player for little in return.

The big man is nearly seven-feet tall and has made 35.5% of his three-point shots during his career. That inside-out ability will matter on a Pacers team searching for spacing and weapons, though Bryant’s defense will be a major focus for the blue and gold.

This move brings Indiana within $127k of the luxury tax, hardly enough flexibility to do anything significant. They could potentially sign someone to a 10-day contract or a minimum deal very late in the season, but that’s about it. They’ll have to make other moves if they want more breathing room, yet they still found enough space to bring in Bryant.

With much of their flexibility used up since Bryant’s deal is fully guaranteed, the Pacers need this deal to work out. With a game on Sunday — the day the deal can officially take place — followed by a few days off, Indiana can get their new big man up to speed before an important road trip late in December. The Pacers roster is now full.