Miami Heat trade G Brian Roberts, F Jarnell Stokes in two minor deals

The Miami Heat made two minor cost-reducing trades on Thursday, trading rookie forward-center Jarnell Stokes to the New Orleans Pelicans for a conditional second-round draft pick and cash and dealing guard Brian Roberts to the Portland Trail Blazers for a second-round draft choice and cash considerations.

By trading Stokes and Roberts, the Heat are now under the luxury tax line and have saved $6 million dollars according to Yahoo.

Stokes is making a league minimum $845,089 and has a nonguaranteed contract at the league minimum for next season. Trading him helps Miami reduce its luxury tax bill to approximately $2.1 million but the Heat are still above the tax line.

Stokes appeared in seven games for the Heat. Miami acquired him from the Memphis Grizzlies in November in a four-player deal that involved point guard Mario Chalmers.

Roberts was obtained in Monday's three-team trade with the Charlotte Hornets and Grizzlies. He is averaging 4.8 points and 1.3 assists this season and has averaged 7.4 points in 252 games over four seasons for New Orleans and Charlotte.