One of the bigger surprises as day 3 of NBA free agency starts to wane down is that Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has not found a home.
DeRozan and LeBron James are the two players with the most profile still in the open market. While it is widely assumed that James will return to Los Angeles, there is no set direction for DeRozan’s future.
But things may be becoming clearer for DeRozan. Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang reported earlier today that the 34-year-old forward and the Miami Heat are mutually interested.
The Heat has expressed interest in Bulls free agent guard DeMar DeRozan, and DeRozan also has interest in Miami, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation. The Heat is among several teams in play for the six-time All Star. But there are still significant challenges that could ultimately prevent a Heat/DeRozan marriage.
Miami’s interest in DeRozan isn’t surprising, as franchise president Pat Riley made it clear that changes were coming after the Heat’s first-round playoff exit. The Heat haven’t done anything significant yet, although they did re-sign Kevin Love and drafted Ke’el Ware along with Pelle Larsson.
With Ware, Larsonn, and Love in the fold, Miami has 12 players under contract with salaries totaling over $178 million. This means that the Heat are over the NBA’s first tax apron. Therefore, as Jackson and Chiang pointed out, the Heat could only sign DeRozan if he accepted the Heat’s $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception or a minimum salary.
That is unlikely to happen. DeRozan is seeking a much higher salary.
However, in the unlikely case that DeRozan did accept the taxpayer midlevel exception, Jackson and Chiang pointed out that the Heat would not be able to re-sign Caleb Martin or Haywood Highsmith, who remain in a holding pattern while both those players and the Heat explore all their options.
Here is more from Jackson and Chiang:
The other option for DeRozan with Miami, which would get DeRozan a salary more in line with his production: If the Heat trades a player earning decent money to a team with cap space — either for draft picks or a player making significantly less. That would be necessary to do a sign-and-trade with the Bulls, because teams above the first apron cannot make sign-and-trades.
Any team making a sign-and-trade would be hard capped at the first apron and could not exceed $178.1 million in payroll at any time after that, until the conclusion of next year’s NBA Finals. The more onerous second apron is $188.9 million. Teams exceeding that apron cannot aggregate salaries in a trade, among other restrictions. The Heat is among many teams determined to avoid the second apron.
DeRozan is one of the best pure and clutch scorers in the game. He arguably enjoyed his most offensive success in his three seasons with the Bulls, compiling 25.5 points while shooting 49.6/33.6/84.1%.
DeRozan has already said he will not return to Chicago after saying he would be willing to re-sign with the franchise. According to the Chicago Sun-Times Joe Crowley, DeRozan recently said the Bulls trading Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City was the last straw.
It had been thought that the Los Angeles Lakers would be interested in DeRozan if they struck out in the Klay Thompson sweepstakes, and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed that notion on SportsCenter Tuesday.
“I think there’s interest in DeMar DeRozan, but the kind of contract that he might want just is not going to be available. It’s not left out there in the marketplace. The Bulls are more than willing to work on a sign-and-trade agreement to get him the years and money that he might want, but with the new salary cap rules, those are much more difficult for teams to do.
In DeMar DeRozan’s case, and it may not be as appealing to him, but it may look like a one-year deal somewhere, let the market reset next year. Because if you do a sign-and-trade, it’s got to be at least three years and now you’re locked into a three-year deal at a number you may not like.”
The Lakers have interest. How do they acquire DeMar DeRozan. That becomes a much different scenario. LeBron James has talked about a willingness to take significantly less money to open up their mid-level exception. I think in DeMar DeRrozan’s case, and it may not be as appealing to him, but it may look like a one-year deal somewhere. Let the market reset next year because if you do a sign-and-trade, it’s got to be at least three years. And now you’re locked into a three-year deal at a number you may not like. The Lakers are interested, but is there a mechanism that would allow them to create a slot to acquire him. That’s going to be the harder part. It’s tough when you give out the big money, there’s not always money left for a guy like DeMar DeRozan who was an All-Star recently, but we’ll see what happens with him.”
Other teams are expected to express interest, but they are probably waiting to see how things go with their other deals and what DeRozan is looking for.
