We've officially reached that part of the NBA season again: Rumors of DeMar DeRozan moving to the Heat are starting to surface. Considering how the Chicago Bulls have struggled recently, this isn't surprising at all.
Although this would have been great news years ago, it may not be in their best interest right now. The new CBA and luxury tax could play a big role, not to mention the fact that while good, he's not one of the greatest shooting guards in NBA history, as the Bulls could imply by the price they're asking for him.
Why shouldn't the Heat trade DeRozan?
With that in mind, we'll take an in-depth look at the Miami Heat trade news and make a case for why Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra should sit at the position and not even think about trading picks — or anything — for the No. 1 spot. Toronto Raptors star.
Overpricing
DeMar DeRozan is currently in the middle of the final year of his $81,900,000 deal with the Chicago Bulls. He has posted solid numbers throughout his tenure in the Windy City, so this is the starting salary he will demand moving forward.
The new CBA makes it difficult to have multiple players earning big money, and paying DeRozan up to $28 million per year at this stage of his career would be excessive. On the other hand, they can trade him as a rental and then risk losing him when he goes for nothing. This is not a good business, money-wise.
Poor spacing
The Miami Heat are not good at shooting three points as things stand right now. Tyler Herro is the most consistent scorer from beyond the arc, and he often gets hurt. This means they should target shooters and floor spacers, not players who can clog the paint and hurt their distance more.
DeRozan is one of the best mid-range scorers, perhaps one of the best in NBA history, but he has never been a good three-point shooter. He doesn't even try to score from off the board, and that's not going to change as he gets older.
Jimmy Butler is a very similar scorer in this regard. He is at his best when he drives into the lane or creates space near the top of the key or in the post with his fadeaway shots. He won't be effective next to DeRozan and vice versa; This doesn't make any sense.
age
We've been hearing rumors of DeMar DeRozan to Heat for years. Years ago, they might have settled something, either spreading him or spreading Jimmy Butler at the point and surrounding both of them with shooters to compensate for the lack of spacing between them.
But DeRozan is about to turn 35. We get it, the Heat have been knocking on the door of the NBA Championship for a long time now, and their lack of another scorer was most evident in both failed trips to the NBA Finals during the Butler era.
However, they should look to get younger, get draft capital back, and bring in complementary players who fit Tyler Herro's schedule and can carry the torch once Butler's productivity starts to decline. That's not the case with DeRozan.
The Heat have been on the losing end of several failed trades now. They have failed to land multiple stars over the past three years or so, so they may be tempted to go all out and chase whoever becomes available just for the sake of it. Instead, they should be patient and pursue the person who is truly right for them.
