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HEAT Acquire Goran Dragic and Zoran Dragic

MIAMI, February 19 – Miami HEAT President Pat Riley announced today that they have acquired brothers Goran Dragic and Zoran Dragic from the Phoenix Suns in part of a three-team trade involving the New Orleans Pelicans. Phoenix received Danny Granger and two future first round draft picks from Miami and John Salmons from New Orleans while the Pelicans received Norris Cole, Justin Hamilton and Shawne Williams from the HEAT.

“We are incredibly pleased to take another step in getting the Miami HEAT back to real championship prominence with the acquisition of Goran Dragic,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “Goran is an All-NBA player, including the Most Improved Player last season, and we felt that once he became available, we would do all that we could to acquire him. We feel he is the perfect complement to the players we have on the team. We are also pleased to bring his brother, Zoran, into the HEAT family. He had a great summer during international play and it’s great to have a brother-brother duo and someone that can help us in our rotation.”

Goran Dragic, the NBA’s Most Improved Player and All-NBA Third Team selection last season, has appeared in 52 games (all starts) with the Suns this season averaging 16.2 points, 4.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 33.4 minutes while shooting 50.1 percent from the field. He led the team in field goals made (340) and was second in points (843) and assists (211) this season. He scored a season-high 34 points vs. Indiana on December 2 and posted a 28-point, 13-assist double-double at Dallas on December 5. He ranks second among guards in field goal percentage in the NBA this season and paired with Dwyane Wade’s 48.7 percent shooting from the field in Miami’s backcourt, they are now the best-shooting backcourt duo in the league at 49.5 percent. Additionally, he averaged 20.3 points and 5.9 assists while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from three-point range last season, becoming just the fourth player in NBA history to average at least 20.0 points and 5.0 assists while shooting at least 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from downtown.

Zoran Dragic has appeared in six games for Phoenix this season totaling six points, three rebounds and one assist in 13 minutes of action. He spent last season with Unicaja Malaga in Spain, appearing in 22 Euroleague games and averaged 10.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 22.5 minutes while shooting 41.3 percent from the field. Both Goran and Zoran became the 15th pair of brother teammates in NBA history.

Goran Dragic will wear number 7.

Zoran Dragic will wear number 12.