Sources: Miami HEAT to acquire Nikola Pekovic and Shabazz Muhammad

The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to send Nikola Pekovic to the Miami HEAT, league sources tell GMAT Sports.

Miami will send Chris Anderson and an unprotected, 2017 First Round Pick Swap*, sources said.  Along with Nikola Pekovic, Shabazz Muhammad, Nemanja Bjelica, and the Draft Rights to Bojan Dublevic will be sent to Miami.

Nikola Pekovic, who averaged seventeen points and nine rebounds just two seasons ago, is set to miss the beginning of the 2015-16 season after undergoing surgery on his right, Achilles tendon last April.

In an interview with TwinCities.com, Nikola Pekovic voiced his long term concerns with his injury, stating,

"I'm pretty much worrying a lot about (how it's going to affect my life (in) 10 years".

Before continuing on to say,

"Still, I'm thinking about basketball life."

How do the numbers work?

The Miami HEAT were $16,800,149 underneath the hard cap, allowing for Nikola Pekovic's contract to be completely absorbed.  Here is the breakdown...

Nikola Pekovic (12,100,100), Nemanja Bjelica (3,950,001) Shabazz Muhammad (2,056,920)

in return for

Chris Andersen (5,000,000)

In addition to immediate cap savings, the Minnesota Timberwolves reap long term benefits, opening up a combined $18,946,299 for next year's free agency.  Nikola Pekovic, who is due thirty-six million dollars over the next three seasons, has played only a combined 65.7% of his games over the past two seasons after signing a five year, sixty million dollar deal in the summer of 2013. 

In taking this questionable contract, the Miami HEAT receive young forward Shabazz Muhammad and Euro-League MVP, Nemanja Bjelica, to help set the foundation around their young star, Giannis Antetokoumnpo.

Why Shabazz?

(Minnesota Shooting Guard Shabazz Muhammed poses his results of two weeks of Chameleon Training.)

As you may or may not know, the Miami HEAT's newest young player Shabazz Muhammad has once again begun working with the famed "Hell's Trainer" Frank Matrisciano.  As seen clearly above, the workouts, named "Chameleon Training" by the trainer himself, have been doing wonders for Muhammad's body.

Last season, Shabazz worked with Frank Matrisciano for three weeks alongside Power-Forward Anthony Bennett and veteran Ronnie Turiaf, putting the effort in to shed his "bust" label.

Who is the man that is helping mold these young players' bodies?  Here are two fantastic articles on Frank Matrisciano and his roots.  Business Insider describes Frank on a more personal level, while Men's Health covers what his workouts entail.

His intensity and workload is on a level that causes seven out of ten people to not return for a second session.  Once working for the Memphis Tigers (UoM) Frank Matrisciano was fired by his own brother in law for refusing to lower the harshness of his workouts.  More on this story can be found at CBS Sports.

(Blake Griffin experiences the Trials of Hell 2011)

From helping Zach Randolph become an All-Star to taking Blake Griffin's body to another level Frank has quickly become an urban legend among players and coaches around the country.  Mostly known for his secretive antics, such as wearing sun glasses and a bandanna to cover his face, Frank has helped many players in the NBA help achieve their goals.  This is why HEAT fans should feel confident that Shabazz may one day reach the potential that was touted when he was in High-School.  With his documented work ethic and Frank's never faulting energy, Shabazz will return this season as a whole new man.


*It should be noted that the draft pick will be conveyed if Miami's obligation to the Philadelphia 76ers is fulfilled in 2016.  If not, the pick is postponed until the 2018 season