Gary Payton is still looking at the Miami Heat with a sharp eye, and he’s not exactly buying every possible fit that gets tossed around for them.
In a recent conversation with DJ Siddiqi of R.org, the former Heat champion sized up the Eastern Conference and put the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Heat and champion New York Knicks at the top of the East. He also pushed back on the idea that Russell Westbrook would be a natural match in Miami, unlike former Heatle Mario Chalmers.
Payton’s read on Westbrook was that he’s not the kind of player who will simply move the ball to a big man, clear out and wait for a kick-out. Even so, he still credited Westbrook for what he does best as a penetrator.
The player Payton did circle back to was DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan last played for the Sacramento Kings and will turn 37 on Aug. 7, but Payton sees a veteran scorer whose game could still matter in the right setting.
That appeal starts with the middle of the floor. Miami would benefit from playmaking and 3-point shooting, but DeRozan’s mid-range game and post craft still carry real value, especially in the playoffs.
He can give a team a bucket when the offense stalls, or when injuries and awkward lineup combinations start to chip away at the flow. In theory, he’d be a tough cover coming off a stagger screen or a dribble handoff from Bam Adebayo or Giannis Antetokounmpo.
On DeRozan’s touch, Payton said to R.org, "Plus what you can do is that you can basically go through him like a KD, a Kevin Durant, when he was in Golden State. You could go through him and do the things that you have to, even when Giannis is not having a great game. And then, if they start doubling DeMar, kick it to Giannis, and he'll start attacking."
DeRozan’s résumé still carries weight. He has 28,086 points between the regular season and playoffs, and with year 18 ahead of him, the mileage is showing a bit. Even so, his value could be protected if his role is trimmed and saved for the stretch run.
There’s also been growth as a passer. DeRozan averaged 6.2 assists over three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, a clear jump that came under Gregg Popovich. He hasn’t played for them since 2020-21, but Payton’s point is that a coach like Erik Spoelstra could still get more out of him.
The concerns are obvious, too. DeRozan’s 3-point shooting is not a strength, which matters when Antetokounmpo and Adebayo are also not deep shooters.
One answer would be staggering the minutes among the three of them. His defense has also been uneven, and his playoff history has included plenty of rough nights.
Still, Payton’s broader point is that DeRozan is a veteran who would come cheap enough to make sense, especially if Miami needs a fallback option after missing on LeBron James. For a team looking for another scorer who can still bend a defense, Payton clearly thinks DeRozan deserves a long look.
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