Report: Miami Heat Have Mutual Interest In Bulls Forward

According to NBA reporters Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, DeMar DeRozan and the Miami Heat have mutual interest.

DeRozan, who is an unrestricted free agent, will not return to the Chicago Bulls.

The Los Angeles Lakers are also pursuing DeRozan.

“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,” Jackson and Chiang wrote. “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. The biggest: At the moment, the only way that Miami could add him would be if he accepts the Heat’s $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception or even less likely, a minimum contract. Those are the Heat’s only non-trade avenues to add players.”

DeRozan appeared in 79 games for the Bulls in 2023-24. The USC product averaged 24.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 48.0% from the floor, 33.3% from 3 and 85.3% from the free-throw line.

DeRozan signed a three-year, $85 million contract with the Bulls in August 2021 as part of a sign-and-trade deal with the San Antonio Spurs.

DeRozan has career averages of 21.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.3 blocks with the Toronto Raptors, Spurs and Bulls. He’s made three All-NBA teams and six All-Star teams.

Heat star Jimmy Butler and DeRozan are close friends. Miami lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in five games. Butler missed the entire series with a knee injury.

“That $5.2 million is below what DeRozan is seeking,” Jackson and Chiang wrote. “If DeRozan took that, Miami would be just below the second apron and 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. 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.”