Will Trevor Ariza’s debut come Friday vs. Pacers? And the latest on Heat’s injuries
Trevor Ariza’s Miami Heat debut may come Friday, but that will depend on a few factors.
Although the newly acquired Ariza is listed as out on the injury report for Friday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team is not formally ruling him out. If the physicals from the trade come back clean and Ariza is cleared from protocols early Friday, which is possible, he could be available to play against the Pacers.
The Heat completed a trade Wednesday with the Oklahoma City Thunder to acquire Ariza in exchange for Meyers Leonard and a 2027 second-round pick. Ariza began participating in the NBA’s COVID-19 testing protocols in advance of the trade, which is why there’s even a chance that he’ll be available to play just two days after the deal.
The Heat’s injury report also includes guard Avery Bradley (right calf strain) and forward Andre Iguodala (left hip soreness). Both are listed as questionable for Friday’s contest.
Bradley has missed the past 20 games because of his calf injury. He has played in just 10 games in his first season with the Heat.
Iguodala missed his first game because of the hip injury in Wednesday’s road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Heat two-way contract guard Gabe Vincent (right knee soreness) is probable to play Friday.
Jimmy Butler, who played in Wednesday’s game despite a sprained ankle, and Moe Harkless, who missed Wednesday’s game because of an illness, are not on the Heat’s injury report for Friday’s matchup against the Pacers.
This story was originally published March 18, 2021 at 5:52 PM.
