The Miami Heat are at a crossroads after a disappointing 37-win season in 2024-25, their worst in a decade, per Matt Hanifan’s May 28, 2025, analysis. With rumors swirling about a blockbuster pursuit of Kevin Durant, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel has linked the Heat to Sacramento Kings’ veteran DeMar DeRozan, a six-time All-Star entering his age-36 season. DeRozan’s 22.2 PPG and mid-range mastery make him a tempting target, but Hanifan warns that trading for him would be a grave mistake. Why would a player of DeRozan’s caliber clash with Miami’s needs, and what does this mean for their championship aspirations? This analysis dives into DeRozan’s fit, the Heat’s offensive woes, and why youth, not age, is the key to Miami’s revival.
The Heat’s 2024-25 season exposed cracks in their roster, finishing 37-45 and missing the playoffs despite Bam Adebayo’s All-NBA play and Tyler Herro’s 20.8 PPG, per ESPN. With Sacramento reportedly exploring trade options for DeRozan, who’s owed $59.2 million through 2026-27, Miami’s interest has resurfaced after last year’s pursuit, per ClutchPoints. DeRozan’s 47.7% FG and 85.7% FT in 2024-25 with the Kings highlight his scoring prowess, but his 32.8% three-point shooting and defensive limitations raise red flags, per the source. This analysis explores why DeRozan’s mid-range style clashes with Miami’s stars, how his age undermines long-term goals, and why the Heat must look elsewhere, with X posts like @HeatNationCP crying, “No more mid-range cloggers!”
DeRozan’s Appeal: A Scoring Star with Flaws
DeRozan, a 16-year veteran, remains a scoring machine, averaging 22.2 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 3.9 RPG for Sacramento in 2024-25, per the source. His mid-range efficiency—46.1% on shots between 10-16 feet, per Cleaning The Glass—makes him a clutch closer, as seen in his 30-point games against the Lakers, per NBA.com. Hanifan suggests DeRozan could elevate Miami’s offense alongside Herro and Adebayo, per the source. X posts like @Sactown1140 praise his “vintage scoring,” noting his 85.7% FT drawing 6.3 attempts per game. Yet, his 32.7% three-point shooting over five seasons (13% of attempts) limits his spacing, and his below-average defense (113.2 defensive rating) doesn’t fit Miami’s gritty identity, per StatMuse. Is DeRozan’s scoring worth the trade-offs?
Fit Issues: Clogging the Heat’s Offense
Miami’s offense, ranked 21st in efficiency (112.3) in 2024-25, struggles with spacing, per NBA.com. DeRozan’s mid-range reliance—35% of his shots, per Cleaning The Glass—overlaps with Herro (180 mid-range shots since March 2024, 8.01-foot average distance) and Adebayo (99th percentile mid-range shots), per PBP Stats. This redundancy clogs driving lanes, as DeRozan’s 32.8% from three fails to stretch defenses, per the source. Herro’s 39.1% three-point uptick and Adebayo’s 3.4 3PA per game in 2024-25 show Miami’s shift toward long-range shooting, per ESPN. X posts like @MiamiHeatFanatic warn, “DeRozan’s game crowds Bam and Tyler.” DeRozan’s pick-and-roll reads, hindered by defenders ducking under screens, don’t solve Miami’s need for a dynamic playmaker, per the source. Can Miami afford another mid-range maestro?
Defensive and Playmaking Shortfalls
DeRozan’s defensive limitations exacerbate Miami’s needs. The Heat’s 9th-ranked defense (110.8) relies on Adebayo’s rim protection and Jimmy Butler’s versatility, per NBA.com. DeRozan, with a 0.9 steal rate and no significant rim deterrence, weakens this foundation, as Sacramento’s 20th-ranked defense (113.7) in 2024-25 suggests, per ESPN. His passing has improved (4.4 APG), but his 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio in pick-and-rolls doesn’t match Miami’s need for a primary facilitator like Trae Young, per Yahoo Sports. Hanifan notes DeRozan’s assists lack the precision of elite playmakers, per the source. @HeatCultureX on X argues, “We need a defender and a floor general, not another scorer.” Without addressing these gaps, DeRozan’s addition risks imbalance.
Age vs. Youth: A Strategic Misstep
At 36, DeRozan’s $59.2M contract through 2026-27 clashes with Miami’s need to get younger, per Spotrac. The Heat’s core—Butler (35), Adebayo (27), Herro (25)—faces a closing championship window, with Butler’s free agency looming in 2026, per Bleacher Report. Hanifan emphasizes that “Father Time is undefeated,” warning against investing in a one-way player past his prime, per the source. Miami’s failed pursuit of Damian Lillard in 2023 showed the risks of aging stars, per Yahoo Sports. X posts like @HeatInsider urge, “Focus on prospects like Jaime Jaquez Jr.” DeRozan’s lack of rim pressure (2.1% of shots at the rim) and mid-range-heavy diet (47.7% efficiency) don’t elevate Miami to contender status, unlike Durant’s 52.3% FG, per StatMuse. Is DeRozan a step backward?
Better Alternatives: Raising the Ceiling
Miami’s goal is a ceiling-raiser, not a floor-raiser like DeRozan, per the source. Pursuing Durant, averaging 27.1 PPG in 2024-25, offers elite scoring and spacing (38.7% 3P), per ESPN. Younger targets like Devin Booker or Donovan Mitchell align with Miami’s timeline, per ClutchPoints. The Heat’s 2025 draft pick (No. 14) and assets like Nikola Jović could facilitate a trade, per Bleacher Report. X posts like @HeatNationCP suggest, “Go for a star who fits Bam’s prime.” DeRozan’s trade cost—likely a first-round pick and salary filler—doesn’t justify his limited upside, especially with Sacramento’s leverage, per Yahoo Sports. Miami’s history of bold moves (e.g., Butler in 2019) demands ambition, not a compromise.
Trading for DeMar DeRozan might boost the Heat’s offense, but his poor spacing, defensive flaws, and age make him a risky fit for Miami’s championship dreams. Clogging the mid-range alongside Herro and Adebayo, DeRozan fails to address the Heat’s need for a dynamic facilitator and defender. With a brutal Eastern Conference and Father Time looming, Miami must chase youth and ceiling-raisers like Durant. Will the Heat avoid this mid-range trap, or risk another lost season?