Getty DeMar DeRozan #11 and Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls speak during the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers
After the Miami Heat were eliminated from the Eastern Conference Finals by the Boston Celtics, it seemed apparent that the team needed another star to relieve some of the pressure that gets put on Jimmy Butler. The Heat were in on much of the trade discussions this offseason around Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell, possibly to their detriment. The pursuit of Durant and Mitchell put the transaction season of the NBA on hold as teams waited for that shoe to drop. Then when it dropped, the Heat were left as the only Eastern Conference Playoff team that didn’t make any key roster additions in the offseason.
Erik Spoelstra expressed a desire to run it back with the same team next season in the final press conference following the NBA playoffs. However, then the team was linked in multiple trade rumors this offseason and wasn’t able to get a deal done. Now the team is linked to players like Myles Turner, Bojan Bogdanovic, and even a Jae Crowder reunion. After a summer of rumors, any move or name sounds nice instead of the newly drafted Nikola Jovic being the only addition for the Heat, but one NBA Insider recently proposed a potential star the Heat could land at the February trade deadline.
Heat Could Trade for DeMar DeRozan at February Trade Deadline
With training camp rapidly approaching, the odds of adding a star player ahead of the season are slim for the Heat, but David Thorpe of True Hoop wrote a potential trade the Heat could find in the middle of the season to possibly deal for DeMar DeRozan from the Chicago Bulls.
“If the Bulls struggle out of the gate the way they limped home last season, DeRozan could return some real mid- and long-term value to a Bulls team featuring Zach LaVine, Pat Williams, and a troupe of young guards. Coming off a monster season, DeRozan’s stock will never be higher.
The Heat—with Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Nikola Jović—have the pieces to bring DeRozan to South Beach. A DeRozan-Jimmy Butler wing pairing would give Miami a better offensive edge (especially if Butler doubles the number of 3s he took in the regular season, as he did in the playoffs) to overcome the Bucks and the Celtics without sacrificing overall defense. In return, the Bulls get a manageable contract in Robinson’s, a great prospect in Jović, and a budding star in Herro, who they would likely want the Heat to sign and extend as part of any deal,” Thorpe wrote.
Does the DeRozan Deal Make Sense?
Obviously, a trade for DeRozan brings instant offense to the Heat and an excellent option to team with Butler. DeRozan is reunited with Kyle Lowry in the Heat’s backcourt, and the team could contend without giving up an incredible amount. The proposed deal also answers some ongoing concerns about handling Tyler Herro’s looming contract extension. Do you believe DeRozan is better than what Herro will be? That’s the question. If you do, dealing for the five-time All-Star is a no-brainer win now, move.
However, the proposal is a bit premature as it weighs heavily on how the Bulls start the season. If they have an even average start to the season, it would be unlikely to see DeRozan’s name mentioned in any trade discussions.