“I think we do have to make changes. There’s no doubt there has to be some change.” That’s what Miami Heat president Pat Riley said at his exit interview. It was a clear promise to fans who are tired of nothing changing. After a slow and annoying start to free agency, where they missed out on some important players, Miami really needs to do something. And as always, when a team wants to make a big splash, the rumors are flying around. The newest big name connected to the Heat? Six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan.

The rumor began when NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Heat was “linked to” the Sacramento Kings veteran and that people were “mentioning him as a possible place” for him for him and Utah’s John Collins. If you look at it, it makes some sense. The Heat really need an experienced scorer and DeRozan, even at 35, is still one of the most consistent scorers in the league, averaging over 22 points per game last season.

But before the rumor even fully surfaced, it was shot down by a local source. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported on Tuesday that the Heat have “not been pursuing [a] trade for DeRozan to this point.” It’s the kind of conflicting, he said, she said reporting that defines the NBA offseason. And that’s why DeRozan seems to be getting annoyed. While everyone in basketball argued if a trade was good, with experts talking about his contract and if he’d fit with the Heat’s style, the guy everyone was talking about apparently had enough. He went on X (what used to be Twitter) and sent a short, direct, and strong message straight at all the never-ending online guesses.

“Everybody an expert on this App…” he wrote. It was a clear and direct shot at the rumor mill. And for a player who has been through the wringer of NBA trades before, his frustration is more than understandable. Just ask the Chicago Bulls.

Their questionable return in the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade was already a letdown on paper. But now, just a year after the deal, it looks even worse than anyone thought. Chris Duarte, who was the main player the Bulls got, is now officially out of the NBA. So, one of the best scorers in that team’s history was basically traded for a couple of second-round draft picks and a short-lived player who never made a difference. That terrible result for the Bulls is a warning sign, but it hasn’t stopped other teams from dreaming up their own big trade ideas to get the veteran star. It just shows how valuable he still is in a league he’s not even sure he recognizes anymore.

“Never had a drink in my life”: DeRozan’s old-school mentality fuels his trade value

The Miami Heat isn’t the only team being talked about with DeRozan. Multiple outlets, including Sports Illustrated, floated a blockbuster three-team deal involving DeRozan landing in Phoenix, Bradley Beal heading to Sacramento, and Malik Monk shifting west.

This suggested trade would help each team in different ways. Phoenix, stuck with limited financial flexibility and the burden of Beal’s massive contract, would offload him while gaining two win-now contributors in DeRozan and Monk—both capable scorers with playoff experience. Sacramento, in turn, would accept Beal’s contract and net an unprotected 2032 first-round pick from Phoenix. This would show they’re looking to rebuild for the long term.

Meanwhile, the Hawks would get a player they need in Royce O’Neale, who’s a good shooter from outside and knows coach Quin Snyder’s system. It’s just all speculation right now, but this kind of move shows how teams are changing what they care about, trying to fix things quickly. And DeRozan could end up being a key player for another team’s playoff run. These “what if” situations just show how valuable he still is around the league. And the secret to that value, as he recently explained in an interview with Dwyane Wade, is an old-school mentality.

At 35 years old and getting ready for his 17th season, DeRozan is still playing like an All-Star. He says this is because of one simple thing: sacrifice. “It’s a year-round thing,” the six-time All-Star explained. “For me, that goes back to making sacrifices. I don’t go out. I don’t drink. I never had a drink in my life … I just always kind of looked at it from the standpoint of like, my whole goal of hooping was I wanna be able to play for as long as I can.”

It’s a lesson he learned early in his career. “When I came into the league, I used to make fun of all the old heads, like, ‘Man, why you putting ice on?’” he remembered. “It’s like, ‘Well, I’m telling you, you better start putting ice on before you start to need it.’ I’m like, ‘All right, f— it! I’m putting ice on, nothing hurting.'” It’s that kind of professional, proactive way of taking care of his body that has helped him avoid big injuries throughout his long and successful career.

But his old-school way of thinking isn’t just about his body, it’s about his mindset. He admitted to Wade that the modern NBA, with its changing priorities, has been tough on him mentally. “I think the mental that becomes a challenge for me is when you look around, you see … so many people take the game for granted,” DeRozan explained. “When before, it was always hoop. Everything was hoop. You had to earn everything you did when it came out there on the court.”

This is the kind of player that teams are still trying to trade for. He’s a throwback, a guy who respects the game and puts in the hard work. His blunt tweet at the “experts” makes perfect sense when you understand why he’s frustrated with today’s quick-opinion culture. And his lasting trade value isn’t just about his amazing mid-range game, it’s about how professional he is, how dedicated he is, and a love for the game that you just can’t fake.