NBA Rumors: Heat Could Trade Dion Waiters, James Johnson & 1st-Round Pick For DeMar DeRozan, Per ‘SB Nation’
Since the 2019 NBA offseason, rumors have been circulating that the Miami Heat are searching for a second superstar who could help Jimmy Butler bring the team back to title contention in the 2019-20 NBA season. The Heat may currently have the third-best record in the Eastern Conference, but in order to have a better chance of beating powerhouse teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers in a best-of-seven series, they should strongly consider adding more star power on their roster. According to Michael Kawaida of SB Nation’s Hot Hot Hoops, one of the NBA superstars that the Heat could target before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline is DeMar DeRozan of the San Antonio Spurs.
In recent months, DeRozan continues to be the subject of various trade rumors. With the Spurs struggling to win games in the 2019-20 NBA season, most people believe that San Antonio should finally consider trading some of their veterans, including DeRozan, and undergo a rebuilding process. Though he is not confident that DeRozan could make himself fit in with Coach Erik Spoelstra’s system, Kawaida believes that the All-Star shooting guard would give the Heat a “proven, go-to scorer” who could excel in crucial situations.
“DeMar DeRozan, a volume mid-range shooter who is also a poor defender, has been a name floating around the NBA twitter-sphere in connection with Miami,” Kawaida wrote. “I’m actually a DeRozan fan but think the Heat should pass here. Could he make you better? Maybe a little. But I’m not sure how willing DeRozan is to conform to Miami’s culture and team-first style of play. If this trade does happen, DeMar would give the Heat another proven, go-to scorer in high leverage moments.”
Though he is currently taking most of the blame for the Spurs’ struggles, DeRozan still managed to post incredible numbers in the 2019-20 NBA season. In 24 games, the 30-year-old shooting guard is averaging 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.0 steal while shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. Having two alpha males on their team may do more harm than good for the Heat, but if DeRozan and Butler find a way to build good chemistry, Miami would undeniably become a more dangerous team in the Eastern Conference this season.
In the proposed trade deal by SB Nation’s Hot Hot Hoops, the Heat would be sending a trade package including Dion Waiters, James Johnson, and a 2020 first-round pick to the Spurs in exchange for DeRozan. The deal works on ESPN‘s NBA Trade Machine. If the trade becomes a reality, it would not only be beneficial for the Heat but also for the Spurs.
In exchange for DeRozan, the Spurs would be acquiring two veterans in Waiters and Johnson, plus a future first-round pick that could help them speed up the rebuilding process. The Spurs would definitely love to receive a young player in addition to the suggested trade package, but with his current performance, it is highly unlikely that the Heat would be willing to sacrifice Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, Bam Adebayo, or Justise Winslow just to bring DeRozan to South Beach.
