The Miami Heat were close to acquiring DeMar DeRozan in a trade from the Chicago Bulls, but the negotiations hit a major snafu which forced the rebuilding Bulls to look for another trade route, ESPN NBA Insider Bobby Marks revealed these details in the wake of a three-team trade that sent the veteran wingman to the Sacramento Kings.
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According to Marks, the Heat had a deal in place to acquire DeRozan from the Bulls. Unfortunately, the Heat found no takers for Duncan Robinson’s contract worth $19M per year through 2026, which proved to be the major stumbling block of why the deal for DeRozan didn’t materialize.
The Bulls had no interest in absorbing Robinson into their payroll despite only $9.8 million of the $19.8 million is guaranteed on the final year of his deal.
Marks added that the new collective bargaining agreement that included first and second-apron of salary caps is making trade negotiation and payroll integration tricky for general managers around the league.
Robinson has been one of the league’s best three-point snipers, shooting 39.8 percent from 3-point range throughout his career. After falling off Erik Spoelstra’s rotation during the 2022-23 season, Robinson tweaked his playing time to become a three-point shooter who can punish opposing teams with baseline cuts and overextending defense.
Meanwhile, DeRozan would have given the Heat another shot-creator next to Jimmy Butler and a vocal leader who would thrive in a gritty, no-nonsense Miami Heat culture. DeRozan averaged 24.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists to lead the injury-raved Bulls to the play-in tournament, where they were once again eliminated by the Heat in a winner-take-all match.
THE CONVERSATION.