Sources: Kings trade forward Nemanja Bjelica to Miami Heat for Mo Harkless, Chris Silva
The Kings made another move as the NBA trade deadline approached Thursday, agreeing to send Nemanja Bjelica to the Miami Heat in exchange for Maurice Harkless and Chris Silva, sources told The Sacramento Bee.
The possibility of a deal between Sacramento and Miami had been rumored for weeks with sources telling The Bee the Heat had interest in Bjelica back in mid February. Last week, as Bjelica’s stay in Sacramento dragged on, a source with knowledge of the situation said a trade was “trending toward deadline day,” but a deal was still expected.
The trade gives Miami a highly skilled veteran power forward who can help the Heat push for a top seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race while allowing the Kings to move on without taking on additional future salary. Harkless, 27, is on a one-year, $3.6 million contract. Silva, 24, is in the second year of a three-year deal with a team option for the 2021-22 season.
Bjelica started 137 games for the Kings over the past two seasons. He averaged career highs of 11.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting a career-best 41.9% from 3-point range last season, but he grew unhappy when his role was reduced this season as the organization prioritized the development of Marvin Bagley III.
League sources told The Bee the Kings explored trade possibilities involving Bjelica around the time of the NBA Draft in November and would continue to work through their options leading up to the trade deadline. Bjelica averaged 7.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 26 games for the Kings this season. He is shooting just 29.3% from 3-point range this season, but he is a career 38.7% shooter from beyond the arc.
Silva has appeared in 11 games for the Heat this season, averaging 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game. The 6-foot-8, 234-pound power forward went undrafted out of South Carolina in 2019. A training camp invite from the Heat led to a two-way contract and then a standard contract.
Harkless, a 6-7, 210-pound small forward, has also appeared in 11 games, averaging 1.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per contest. The nine-year veteran came out of St. John’s as the No. 15 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He started his career with the Orlando Magic and enjoyed his best seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers before moving on for short stints with the Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and Heat.
The Kings will need to clear a roster spot to make room for Silva and Harkless, so an additional move could be coming as the 12 p.m. trade deadline nears.
This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 10:46 AM with the headline "Sources: Kings trade forward Nemanja Bjelica to Miami Heat for Mo Harkless, Chris Silva."
