Another Miami Heat target has landed elsewhere. On Thursday, free agent guard Bradley Beal agreed to a two-year contract to return to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Although Beal was on the Heat’s radar, he was firmly behind Klay Thompson and DeMar DeRozan. Thompson is still under contract with the Dallas Mavericks, and DeRozan continues to dangle in free agency over a month after being waived by the Sacramento Kings.
The Heat has competition in the DeRozan sweepstakes, with the six-time All-Star generating interest from the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers. But NBA insider Keith Smith believes DeRozan, who has been linked to the Heat for multiple years, will ultimately end up in Miami.
“My guess is — and this is strictly, I’m speculating — I think he will land there,” Smith said on Friday’s edition of the “NBA Front Office Show.” “I think that’s kind of lining up to be the best place for him where he could probably play a lot.”
DeMar DeRozan’s Miami Heat Fit Being Debated
GettySACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 06: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Sacramento Kings is guarded by Ochai Agbaji #30 of the Toronto Raptors in the second half at Golden 1 Center on November 06, 2024 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
DeRozan, 37, remains an efficient scorer in the latter stages of his career. With the three-time All-NBA performer being a starter virtually his entire career, there is some speculation that DeRozan might not be willing to accept a bench role.
“What I would do is — maybe they start him — but I would actively make sure he is out there on the second unit quite a bit and can kind of be like the focal point of your second unit for the Heat,” Smith said.
When assessing DeRozan’s potential fit with the Toronto Raptors if he were to return, NBA reporter Doug Smith focused on his willingness to accept a bench role, something that could ultimately factor into any team’s decision to sign him.
“And because he’s so close to cracking the top 10 on the NBA career scoring list (about 2,000 points away), not starting — or not even having a featured scoring role off the bench — would put a crimp in the pursuit of a truly memorable accomplishment,” Smith wrote. “He’s enough of a team player to do whatever is needed to win, but the change would take some adjustment.”
The Hold Up Behind DeRozan’s Free Agency
DeRozan is one of the most intriguing available options out there, but he remains unsigned. According to Smith, DeRozan has yet to choose a team due to a lack of urgency.
“This is generally the slowest time of the year and there’s no urgency for DeMar to find a spot,” Smith reported. “I still think Brooklyn, Miami, Portland and Denver are interesting spots where he’d fit. There’s just no sense anyone’s in any rush.”
The Heat also is in no rush to get DeRozan to put pen to paper, reports team insider Ethan Skolnick.
“There’s really two things that could be in play here,” Skolnick said. “I was pretty much informed … the Heat were in no hurry, that they were talking internally about things. … They did not seem pressed in terms of ‘we gotta get DeMar.’ … The two things in play are, A, could this ultimately be about money?”
DeRozan, who averaged roughly 18 points and shot 49.7 percent from the floor last season, could be an impactful addition to a championship-hopeful team. Whether that’s for the Heat remains to be seen.
Miami Heat Receive Good News on DeMar DeRozan Amid Decision Hold Up