Heat trade Chalmers, Ennis to Grizzlies for Udrih, Stokes

The Miami Heat traded point guard Mario Chalmers and forward James Ennis to the Memphis Grizzlies for Beno Udrih and Jarnell Stokes, the team announced Tuesday.

The Heat will also receive a second-round pick.

A deal involving Chalmers to the Grizzlies had been rumored since last week, as the Heat look to shed salary in an effort to avoid the repeater luxury tax. Miami's payroll sits at $91.8 million. Dumping Chalmers' $4.3-million price tag would save Miami nearly $6 million in tax payments. Udrih's value to the Heat comes from his expiring contract.

The Grizzlies are sputtering, at 3-5 entering Wednesday's game against the defending champion Golden State Warriors, and could use a boost. They hope Chalmers will provide an upgrade over Udrih at backup point guard. The two have been comparable statistically this season, while Chalmers, once a semi-reliable 3-point shooter, has regressed the past two seasons from beyond the arc.

That said, the big trey the Kansas product hit in the 2008 NCAA Championship Game didn't sit well in Memphis, as it beat John Calipari's Tigers.

Ennis saw minutes with the injury-plagued Heat last season, while fellow former second-rounder Stokes never got an opportunity to crack the Grizzlies' rotation.

In an interesting twist to the trade, the Grizzlies would officially renounce six players who no longer play for them - but never officially retired - in order to release a cap hold and allow the trade under the salary cap. The names stick out.

Gilbert Arenas last played for the Grizzlies on April 26, 2012; Leon Powe on May 15, 2011, and Steven Hunter on Feb. 6, 2010.

The trade was first reported by Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.