A bold trade proposal has the Miami Heat landing more offense to complement All-Star Jimmy Butler.
Miami is coming off a heartbreaking NBA Finals loss to the Denver Nuggets, having fallen to Nikola Jokic and company in five games. Butler was inconsistent throughout the series, shooting just 41.3 percent from the field and .368 from beyond the arc.
Defensive stalwart Bam Adebayo was actually Miami’s best offensive player in the series, averaging 21.8 points per game (Butler averaged 21.6). As the NBA Finals showed, Butler and Adebayo desperately need more offensive support if they’re to embark on another deep run next year.
At NBA Analysis Network, James Piercey proposed an enticing trade idea in which the Heat would land Chicago Bulls’ All-Star DeMar DeRozan in exchange for three-point sniper Tyler Herro and Miami’s 2027 first-round pick:
“It’s a win-now upgrade. DeRozan is a more productive player than Herro. He’s got better shot selection, and he’s a much better playmaker.
In fact, the Heat would have ample combined playmaking by adding DeRozan to a core featuring Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Would they have much-combined shooting? No. Some will suggest that this is a bad fit for Miami. Butler, DeRozan, and Adebayo alike are star players who thrive in almost every area but shooting.
That’s fine. The Heat have made it work with Adebayo and Butler. If they can stagger Butler and DeRozan and surround them with shooters, Miami can make this viable.”
The Bulls were widely criticized when they handed DeRozan a three-year contract in 2021 on a sign-and-trade deal. But the six-time All-Star has silenced those critics with two stellar seasons in the Windy City, helping Chicago to a surprise playoff appearance in 2022.
Just last year, DeRozan averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game. His 2022-23 PPG average of 24.5 also marked the third-best total of DeRozan’s career up to date. In short, he’s clearly got lots of productive basketball left in him.
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Adding a player of DeRozan’s caliber would help a defense-first Miami team keep pace with higher-scoring offenses like those of the Nuggets. On paper, this trade makes good sense for both sides, but whether it actually happens is another story.
