Assuming DeMar DeRozan doesn’t sign with a cap-room team, it will almost certainly require a sign-and-trade to land him, per Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (video link). As Haynes explains, DeRozan has no interest in settling for a mid-level offer.
“For the teams that might be calling or gauging interest in DeMar taking a full mid-level exception, which is around $13MM, I’m told that is not even being considered right now,” Haynes said on Tuesday.
The Bulls won’t bring back DeRozan, but they’re open to working with him on a sign-and-trade to help him get where he wants, Haynes confirms. Still, negotiating that sort of deal will be a challenge, given that some of the forward’s suitors (like Miami) aren’t in a great financial position to make a sign-and-trade. I’d also expect Chicago will be reluctant to take back much salary, since the team projects to be about $13MM below the luxury tax line, though that number is fluid and would move up or down if other moves are made.
Appearing on ESPN’s NBA Today on Tuesday (Twitter video link), Marc J. Spears of Andscape identified the Kings as one “dark horse” suitor to watch for DeRozan. Sacramento has reportedly made Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, and draft capital available in trade talks (in general, not for DeRozan specifically) as the team looks to upgrade its roster around Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox. Previous reporting has indicated that the Bulls like Huerter.
Here are a few more free agency updates from around the NBA:
- Buddy Hield doesn’t have an agreement in place with the Warriors yet, but the two sides are “tracking toward” a deal, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links), who says that a sign-and-trade would likely see the Sixers receive second-round draft capital in return. If Golden State doesn’t send out additional salary, the club would have to absorb both Hield and Kyle Anderson into a trade exception created by sending Klay Thompson to Dallas, or complete all three of those moves as one multi-team mega-deal in order to maximize Thompson’s outgoing salary as a matching piece (John Hollinger of The Athletic briefly explored this more complex possibility on Tuesday night).
- While Caleb Martin‘s return to the Heat is still considered unlikely, it shouldn’t be entirely ruled out, according to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang, who suggest in a pair of stories for The Miami Herald that the team’s interest in re-signing Martin hasn’t waned as long as the price is right. Jackson and Chiang also say that Miami remains in the mix to sign Haywood Highsmith, though his return is “far from guaranteed.”
- The Heat had initial discussions with DeMar DeRozan on Tuesday and expect to follow up on Wednesday, but there have been no indications that the club will “move mountains” (ie. shed significant salary) in order to land him, Jackson tweets.
- Although Real Madrid has officially announced its new five-year contract with Mario Hezonja, the veteran forward has an NBA-opt out until July 20 with a modest buyout figure and has received interest from “numerous” NBA teams, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. The 29-year-old, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, appeared in 330 NBA regular season games but has been out of the league since 2020.
those bandwagon warrior fans complaining about DM now see he had a plan all along to make the warriors better. If they bring in 3 players for Thompson that is a huge upside to the Thompson trade. Letting CP3 go for nothing was done to bring in free agents. He had a plan all along.
In the event the Heat make some kind of trade, potentially involving Tylsr Herro, maybe to someone like the Nsts for Cam Johnson, or some sort of big Ingram deal, they would end up taking back slightly less than they send out, they could technically end up with more room to keep someone, but it would still.be shocking to me
Otherwise, it’s crazy that not only both of them, but individually, either of them being available in anywhere close to their price range to keep them
I could see Hezonja having some value b/c he plays positions that are currently premium in the NBA at the 2/3, though he previously wasn’t consistent enough, and was playing up more than at the 2
…also, if philly gets rid of Paul Reed, and/or the Clippers do the same with PJ Tucker, they should go towards the top of the Heats list to try to sign, among a few others
DeRozan is hardly worth the vet minimum at this point. He would be best as a 6th man for a team that badly needs a second unit ball handler/scorer that has excellent defense and elite spacing already. And which team is that?
NBA defense is borderline nonexistent and when found appears as theatrical hamming.
DeRozen is a great player. You don’t seem to like him much.
You talking about DeRozan,one of the greatest,do not dare mention 6’th man,the only difference between them is Kawhi was lucky his ball hit a net,otherwise Kawhi would be forgotten
Uh, DeRozen was traded for Kawhi and it resulted in a championship. DeRozen couldn’t hold Kawhis jock strap. Get over it.
This is a ridiculous take. Not worth the vet minimum!? lol ok
Everybody in this comment thread is out of their gourd on one side or the other. He’s not a sixth man worth the minimum (“couldn’t hold Kawhi’s jock strap” is one of the most idiotic things I’ve ever seen on here, given that Kawhi doesn’t actually play half the time) and he’s not an all-time great either, not even close. Everybody but CoachJB, go outside and touch grass, lol.
I’d prefer someone like Duncan Robinson over Buddy Hield – as a means to help Heat eventually acquire DeRozan – but any extra outside shooting won’t hurt. It doesn’t make sense to keep Melton AND Payton II, so you’d think the latter will get moved in any subsequent trade(s). And Looney is a more important piece to maintain than GP2 at this point.
I see Spurs.
Pops tried that before. Not happening.
Derozen to heat or clippers via sign and trade. Powell, Mann and another piece could get it done from the clippers side.