Trade Scenario No. 2 — San Antonio Spurs

Miami Heat Receive: F DeMar DeRozan

San Antonio Spurs Receive: F Andre Iguodala, F/C Kelly Olynyk, MIA 2022 1st Round Pick, MIA 2024 1st Round Pick, MIA 2026 1st Round Pick (Swap, More Favorable to SA)

If the Miami Heat are going to acquire a player like DeMar DeRozan, then they are going to have to put together quite the trade package of draft compensation, especially if they are not trading away guys like Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Herro or Duncan Robinson. In this trade, they would not only be trading away two veteran talents, but they would also have to give up two, possibly three first-round picks for DeRozan. 

DeMar DeRozan is entering the final year of his contract and is owed $27.7M this upcoming season, but the question remains if he will be packing his bags and moving elsewhere to continue his career. He does not seem to be in the Spurs long-term plans at this point, as San Antonio looks to get younger and rebuild their core, and is still a player that holds a high-value on the trade market.

Last season, DeMar DeRozan averaged 22.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and shot 53.1% from the floor. He has one of the better mid-range games off-the-dribble in the NBA and can still be one of the better players on any team in the league. He may not be the All-Star he once was but could be like Kawhi Leonard was to Toronto in the sense of coming in and being the x-factor for a team’s chances at winning a title.

With the emergence of young talents like Keldon Johnson and Lonnie Walker IV this season for the Spurs, DeMar DeRozan’s long-term value for this organization is starting to decline and trading him for future picks and two key veteran players could be very well worthwhile for this team now.

The Miami Heat do have a lot of scoring options and talent on their team, but at times, this team seems to get lost on the offensive end of the court, especially without Jimmy Butler. Bam Adebayo can only do so much and both Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson are nothing more than key role players for this organization. This is where DeMar DeRozan would come into play.

Unless they go out and trade for another big name star, the Heat are going to continue to struggle on the offensive end of the court, which could lead to their demise and an early playoff exit this year, if they even make the playoffs at this rate!

Kelly Olynyk and Andre Iguodala are nothing more than role players for this team and while they definitely make a bigger impact than expected, getting DeMar DeRozan can replace both of their production and also add some to this Heat team.

San Antonio will likely accept this trade offer, it is just a matter of if the Heat are willing to give up this much for DeRozan, who is in the final year of his contract. Trading for DeMar DeRozan will take a lot of stress off of Jimmy Butler to do everything for this team and would provide that spark the Heat need to be as efficient as possible on the offensive end of the court.