Miami Heat Receive: G Derrick Rose
Detroit Pistons Receive: G Kendrick Nunn, F KZ Okpala, MIA 2025 1st Round Pick
Ever since the knee injuries he suffered earlier in his career, Derrick Rose has been fighting to try and get back to playing at a high-level and has done so over the years with the Timberwolves and the Pistons. Over the last two seasons, Rose has played in 101 games and has averaged 18.1 points, 5.0 assists and has shot 48.6% from the floor and 33.8% from three-point range.
While he is not the player he once was, Derrick Rose can still contribute at a high-level and can make a difference for the Heat both on and off the court. He is a great teammate and given the experiences he brings to the table, he can absolutely fit in with the winning culture Miami has created with-in their organization.
Perhaps the best thing about Derrick Rose is that he is not a selfish player. Whether he is in the starting lineup or comes off the bench, Rose can be a floor general and facilitator for his teammates, which would take a lot of stress off of Jimmy Butler to do everything for Miami.
In this trade, the Heat would have to give up Rookie of the Year runner-up Kendrick Nunn and another young talent in KZ Okpala. After going undrafted in 2018, Nunn had to fight just for opportunities to prove himself and now, after averaging 15.3 points, 3.3 assists and shooting 35% from three-point range, he is one of the more promising young players in the game.
The Pistons just drafted Killian Hayes 7th overall to be their point guard of the future, but after suffering a torn hip labrum, he will be sidelined indefinitely moving forward, meaning this team is in the market for another point guard. Given how young and talented Nunn is, he could play alongside Hayes for years to come when they are both healthy and on the court for the Pistons.
For a team that is rebuilding like Detroit, getting any first-round pick is valuable, even if it is way down the road. Getting a first round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is not as ideal as getting one for next year’s draft, but in the end, this pick can easily be traded for an earlier pick with a playoff caliber team on draft night.
With all of this being said, let’s take a closer look as to why exactly the Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons would want to make this trade with one another.
