The agent of Miami Heat star Luol Deng has explained the reasoning behind the former Chicago Bulls fan favourite's decision to join a old rival.

Ron Shade has revealed that a meeting with Heat team president Pat Riley persuaded the 29-year-old that he was a good fit for the franchise in the aftermath of LeBron James's exit.

"They're not looking for Lu to be LeBron. I think that's the main thing that they see, that the weight is going to be evenly distributed between the three [main] guys," Shade said, Pro Basketball Talk reports.

With Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade both signing new deals with the franchise, the Heat will look to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference next season.