Jermaine O'Neal could be headed to the Miami Heat, according to trade rumours. (Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)

A potential big trade involving Jermaine O'Neal is reportedly moving forward as the struggling Toronto Raptors prepare to play the Bulls in Chicago on Friday (8:30 p.m. ET).

Rumours surfaced late last week that the Raptors are talking with the Miami Heat about a deal that would send centre O'Neal to Miami for forward Shawn Marion and perhaps another player.

The biggest hang-up to such a trade would appear to be the health of O'Neal, who has missed 11 of the last 13 games with a knee injury. But there may be movement on that front, as the New York Daily News reported Thursday that the Raptors and Heat have exchanged medical records, usually a precursor to a deal.

Marion is also banged up. He missed practice Thursday with a sore groin, and is questionable for Saturday's game against Orlando.

Miami general manager Pat Riley didn't go out of his way to quash the trade rumours on Thursday, saying he has talked to Marion about the situation.

"I value Shawn Marion immensely," Riley said. "He is a tremendous player. I'm sorry this is going on right now, but that's the NBA business."

As for reports the Heat requested medical information on O'Neal and the Raptors requested medical information on Marion, Riley said: "I could have made the same request to five other teams also. That's just the normal process."

Riley also hinted that his club needs more size, something it would get by swapping Marion, a six-foot-seven small forward, for the six-foot-11 O'Neal, who plays centre for the Raptors.

"This team is like 70 per cent of the teams in the NBA that play small," Riley said. "There's a whole new philosophy in the NBA, and that is getting into a game that is fast and versatile. It has almost morphed itself into a six-foot-five-and-under league.

"I don't believe in that game in the long run. I don't think that game is going to win you a title."

Bargnani making O'Neal expendable?

While the trade rumours have Raptors fans abuzz, the team turns its attention Friday to trying to snap a seven-game losing streak.

Toronto (16-28) looks a world away from the team that won 41 games last season. The Raptors have the second-most losses in the Eastern Conference, and are 4½ games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the eighth and final playoff spot.

"We need to do a better job of fighting through adversity," coach Jay Triano said after Wednesday's 95-76 loss in Detroit. "I don't know why, but when we get down, we seem to lose confidence and hang our heads a little."

If there's a bright spot for the Raptors, it's the sudden emergence of Andrea Bargnani. The third-year big man — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft — was on the verge of being written off as a bust before catching fire in the absence of O'Neal.

Bargnani had 16 points and six rebounds Wednesday, his 13th straight game scoring in double figures. He's averaging 20.9 points over that span — including a 31-point effort in a home loss to Chicago on Jan. 14 — and is making O'Neal look expendable.

Chicago (18-25) comes into Friday's game with 11 losses in its last 16 games, and is looking to avoid dropping four straight for the first time this season.

The Bulls, who lost to Atlanta 105-102 at home on Tuesday, are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, two games back of Milwaukee.

"That's pretty much the story of our season so far," Ben Gordon, who is averaging a team-high 20.0 points, said after the loss to the Hawks. "We get close, just not very good at closing games out."

With files from the Associated Press