NBA Trade Deadline: Goran Dragic to Miami Heat

Jan 13, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic (1) dribbles the ball during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at US Airways Center. Phoenix won 107-100. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic (1) dribbles the ball during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at US Airways Center. Phoenix won 107-100. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns have completed a multi-player, three-team deal that will send Goran Dragic to South Beach.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports delivered the report.

Williams will be bought out.

Veteran wing John Salmons will go from the Pelicans to the Suns.

Shawne Williams will end up in New Orleans.

Alex Kennedy of BasketballInsiders.com reports that Norris Cole and Justin Hamilton will also head to New Orleans, thus giving the Pelicans an actual backup point guard.

The player at the heart of the deal was Dragic.

The 28-year-old Slovenian is a dynamic point guard who’s been asked to play the 2 with the Suns. He has the skills to work off-guard, including a lights out jump shot, but he’s more comfortable working with the ball in his hands.

For the Heat, that’s the type of presence they’ve needed with Dwyane Wade’s health and Chris Bosh drawing double-teams limiting offensive success.

In 2013-14, with Eric Bledsoe missing nearly half the season, Dragic won Most Improved Player and was named to the All-NBA Third Team. With Bledsoe healthy in 2014-15, however, he’d been relegated to a lesser role.

Dec 12, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) and Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) talk during halftime against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Miami Heat won the game 100-95. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 12, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) and Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) talk during halftime against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Miami Heat won the game 100-95. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports /

In Miami, he’ll play a bigger part on a team that’s on pace to make the playoffs in a top-heavy Eastern Conference.

Dragic’s agent informed the Suns that his client would not re-sign, per Sam Amick of USA TODAY Sports, and Dragic confirmed it publicly, per Paul Coro of AZCentral Sports. On his shortlist of preferred destinations, the Heat ranked near the top.

Dragic will be an unrestricted free agent this coming summer, but Pat Riley cleared up cap space via this trade and landed a star-caliber player in a big market.

He also landed Dragic’s brother, Zoran, to sweeten the deal.

Next: NBA Trade Deadline Tracker