DeMar DeRozan is suddenly one of the biggest names on the market, and the race to land him is already taking shape. After the Sacramento Kings waived the six-time All-Star, he became free to choose his next stop, and multiple contenders are now circling.
ESPN reported that the Kings’ move made DeRozan “one of the top free agents on the market.” The outlet also noted that he had a partial guarantee on his deal for next season, but Sacramento and DeRozan worked together on the release so he could pursue a new team. According to ESPN, “Multiple contenders are expected to have interest in the veteran guard,” and that has played out quickly.
Miami has long been viewed as a natural fit. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line pointed to the Heat as the team most closely tied to DeRozan for years, saying, “Miami Heat have been a Derozan landing spot for years now, there's been so much connectivity between him and the Heat and I do think the Heat seem to be the most likely scenario for DeMar DeRozan right now…Miami is probably his best bet…those other spots really don't have spending power," Fischer said.
But the Heat are not alone in the mix. ESPN’s Shams Charania said, “I’m told Miami, Denver, and Cleveland are among the teams interested in DeMar DeRozan… There is a player out west that is overlapping with DeRozan as far as interest from teams,”
Denver would give DeRozan a chance to join Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray in a push for another title. Cleveland could see him as the veteran wing it has been looking for. Miami, meanwhile, would be adding another proven scorer to its current core.
DeRozan has already banked $305 million in NBA contracts over his career, and now he’s weighing where the next chapter should begin. For a player with his résumé, the appeal is clear: a real shot to compete. The question now is which contender makes the strongest move.
In Other News...
Heat Offseason Freeze Is Suddenly Casting Giannis Move Differently
The Heats Giannis Antetokounmpo move has already reshaped the roster in ways that go beyond the headline deal itself. By triggering a hard salary cap apron, Miami locked in a level of financial restraint that has made the rest of the offseason feel frozen, with the team unable to chase the kind of meaningful upgrades it usually at least puts on the table.
That reality showed up again in free agency, when Miami could not put together a competitive offer for Norman Powell and watched him sign elsewhere. Even with three roster spots open, the Heat are limited to veteran-minimum additions, a constraint that leaves the front office with little room to maneuver as it tries to fill out the group around its biggest swing. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Fans May Not Be Done Debating Kelel Ware Yet
Kelel Wares time in Miami ended with a trade to the Milwaukee Bucks, but the conversation around what kind of player he can become is hardly finished. The 7-footer arrived with the kind of raw tools that keep teams interested, and Milwaukee is now in position to give him an opportunity to develop under new coach Taylor Jenkins while the Heat move on with their roster plans.
For Miami fans, the debate has always been about whether Wares upside could outweigh the defensive growing pains that came with it. His long-term playing time and any real contract leverage will likely hinge on whether he can tighten up that end of the floor and bring more consistent defensive effort, which is the same question that made him such a divisive figure in the first place. [Read more 🡒]