INDIANAPOLIS – Pacers’ newly acquired center and former Indiana University star Thomas Bryant is expected to be available for Sunday’s 5 p.m. home game against the Pelicans, the Pacers announced in a news release Sunday morning.

The team confirmed in the press release that Bryant was acquired in a trade from the Heat for the right to trade 2031 second-round picks. News of the deal broke on Friday, but the deal couldn’t be made official until Sunday because Bryant signed a new contract with the Heat this summer and players who sign deals in the offseason don’t sign contracts until December 15 of the following Can be traded year round.

The Pacers were in desperate need of a center after losing backups James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson to torn Achilles tendons in the first 10 days of the season. They signed free agent Moses Brown to a free agent deal on Nov. 20, but released him on Monday after he saw limited action, playing just 5.1 minutes per game in nine appearances. Bryant didn’t get much action with the Heat, appearing in just 10 of their 23 games this season, including just four of the last 19. Bryant is averaging 9.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in his career since he played two seasons at IU, helping lead the Hoosiers to a Big Ten title and Sweet 16 as a freshman in the 2015-16 season

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers: Thomas Bryant is expected to be available Sunday