NBA Rumors: According to reports, DeMar DeRozan is not happy in San Antonio and could opt to test free agency this summer; Miami could be interested.
Prior to the 30-day hiatus that the NBA implemented amid COVID-19 concerns, the San Antonio Spurs were on pace to miss the playoffs for the first time in more than two decades. The DeMar DeRozan–LaMarcus Aldridge experiment has been quite underwhelming and there’s a good chance that the roster looks a whole lot different by the time next season gets underway.
One player that controls his own destiny over the course of the next few months is DeMar DeRozan, who could opt out of the final year of his contract and hit the open market this summer (or whenever free agency ultimately takes place).
One interesting note to add, DeRozan might not be 100 percent willing to go through another season in a Spurs jersey.
According to CNBC reporter Jabari Young, DeRozan is not happy with his current situation in San Antonio. In the report, Young also notes that the Miami Heat was one team that was interested in trading for him. However, nothing materialized.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes that if he opts out, he could be a target for the Heat this summer if he’d be willing to take a one-year, big-money deal.
As we reported several weeks ago, and @JabariJYoung reported today, there was Heat interest in DeRozan before trade deadline. If he&Olynyk opt out, he would be one high-level FA who could be open to big 1-year payday from Miami with team option on year 2: https://t.co/m8FaS3w2Oo
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) March 14, 2020
In order for the Heat to be seriously in play here, there would have to be a number of dominos to fall their way. First, DeRozan would have to opt-out. The same for Kelly Olynyk. Then, the Heat would have to make decisions on upcoming free agents Jae Crowder, Myers Leonard, and Goran Dragic.
And they wouldn’t be easy decisions either. They would be even more difficult to make if the season is canceled (quite a leap to take at this point). Without a postseason to see what this team fully equipped looks like, it would be a shame to simply hit the abort button.
Nevertheless, this is the situation that the Heat have found themselves in. Knowing Pat Riley, however, the chance at adding another “star” player next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, without having to part ways with some of their assets, might be too good to pass up.
The Miami Heat will be active this summer, there’s no question about that, and it appears that if DeMar DeRozan hits free agency they’ll be one of his potential suitors.