As the NBA offseason quickly approaches, the Miami Heat will once again be on the hunt for a star player. While there could be a few opportunities for the Heat to navigate their way back into Eastern Conference contention with the addition of a star player, there's one they should absolutely avoid pursuing. That's DeMar DeRozan. There's already been recent speculation and reporting that has linked DeRozan to the Heat, but it's a nightmarish scenario they should avoid at all costs.
There are certain offseason star trade targets that could go a long way in moving the needle for the Heat this summer. It's easy to see why trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, or even Kevin Durant could be appealing options this offseason. However, there's little that an acquisition of DeRozan would do for the Heat. Even though he's still a good player, he's not one who is going to help Miami make the shift to contention. In fact, the argument could be made that at this point in his career, he's not even a winning player.
Why DeRozan would make little impact for the Heat
The offensive firepower that he would bring to the Heat would be upended by the struggles he would create on the other end of the floor. DeRozan is not a good defender at this point in his career and would create even more problems on the wing defensively, especially considering how much of a liability Tyler Herro is already.
The idea of acquiring DeRozan is often better than the reality of it. As a soon to be 36 year old, there may be a few teams in the league that would benefit from acquiring DeRozan this offseason. The Heat, not even close to contending in the Eastern Conference, probably don't fall into that bucket.
Especially if the Heat is searching for one move that will help fix their issues from last season, DeRozan is not that player. Miami should be on the hunt for a clear-cut No. 1 alpha that will be able to play the lead role at the center for Herro and Bam Adebayo. At best, DeRozan is a No. 3 option at this point in his career.
And unless the Heat is able to land a clear-cut No. 1, there's a strong argument to be made that they shouldn't burn any more assets on moves that will keep them stuck in mediocrity. After all, it's those types of moves that got them in this predicament in the first place. Is there a scenario in which the Heat lands a star player this offseason and it propels them up the East hierarchy next season? Sure, however, none of those scenarios include DeRozan.