The Miami Heat could be on the verge of making a massive and desperate mistake by targeting odd-fitting guard.
The Miami Heat are in a difficult spot. It's one that could force them into making a big mistake this offseason.
Heading into the summer, the Heat was always going to be at a disadvantage in their attempts to upgrade the roster. However, there was still a small hope that a star player would demand their to the team as Damian Lillard almost did last summer. In the end, Donovan Mitchell didn't elect to take that path and wanted to sign a long-term extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With Mitchell officially off the block, the Heat remains at a standstill. They need to upgrade their roster but it's hard to envision an easy path toward the team doing that. At this point, with a need to do something this summer, Miami could get desperate. And the latest reporting seems to indicate that the Heat may already be at that point.
According to a recent report, the Heat has an interest in pursuing a move for DeMar DeRozan, who is currently a free agent. But because of Miami's lack of cap space, any move for DeRozan would likely have to be a sign-and-trade deal. The Heat would likely have to trade Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, or Duncan Robinson to make the deal happen.
How badly does the Miami Heat needs to shake up its roster
For as bad as the Heat needs to shake up their roster, making a move for DeRozan could be a massive mistake. For one, to make this move, they're going to have to part ways with a strong contributor. Unless another move is coming, it wouldn't make sense to part ways with Rozier considering he's essentially the only point guard on the roster.
Moving Herro or Robinson for DeRozan wouldn't make much sense either because of the hit the team would take in terms of shooting. Trading their best or second-best 3-point shooter for a non-3-point shooter is a bold move, and could end up being an unnecessary panic move.
The problem for the Heat is that, at this point, they may not have any other options.
Miami has to ask themselves if they're willing to take the huge PR hit to run back their roster after watching nearly every other contender in the Eastern Conference improve their roster or if they're willing to make a solid move even though it reeks of desperation and may end up being a bad basketball move.
DeRozan doesn't fit great next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo because of the lack of shooting that would exist. However, the Heat don't have many other options of shaking up their roster at this point.
Right now, it's basically the Heat picking their poison. And there aren't many if any, positive outcomes at the moment. It's amazing how quickly the outlook has changed for the Heat.