All-Star scorer reveals the Heat were a 'legitimate' option in free agency

DeMar DeRozan revealed that joining the Miami Heat was a “legitimate option” for him this summer before he was dealt to the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade.

“Philly definitely was an option. Lakers was an option always. Clippers was an option. And the Heat,” DeRozan said on “Podcast P” with Paul George. “Those teams, for sure, were real personal, legitimate options that I was considering.”

There was mutual interest between DeMar DeRozan and the Miami Heat, but a lack of salary cap flexibility prevented the six-time All-Star from coming to South Beach.

The fact that there was mutual interest between DeRozan and the Heat isn’t new. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported in July that the Heat were viewed as the front-runners to land DeRozan.

“[The Lakers] have now turned their attention to DeMar DeRozan, though the Miami Heat are currently viewed as slight favorites to land the 15-year veteran and six-time All-Star, according to league sources,” Buha wrote.

At the same time, the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson also reported on the Heat’s interest in DeRozan.

“The Heat has expressed interest in Bulls free agent guard DeMar DeRozan, and DeRozan also has interest in Miami, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation,” they wrote. “The Heat is among several teams in play for the six-time All Star.”

In this latest interview, DeRozan acknlowedged that the Philalphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers and L.A. Clippers were among the teams he was considering. The 76ers option was likely no longer viable after George signed there this summer. Like the Heat, the Lakers and Clippers did not have the cap flexibility to sign DeRozan to the kind of deal he got from Sacramento.

DeRozan signed a three-year, $76.7 million deal with the Kings via a three-team sign-and-trade involving the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs. The 35-year-old will make $23.4 million this season.

That’s more than what the Heat could have offered to DeRozan as a free agent, and executing a sign-and-trade was nearly impossible because of Miami’s position against the luxury tax. The Heat would have had to shed salary to make acquiring DeRozan possible, but ultimately, they could not trim the payroll.