(Photo via azcentral.com)
Pat Riley’s dream star target could potentially be days away from coming to a reality. The Kevin Durant sweepstakes have been aggressively heating up as each day passes, and fueling the Miami Heat’s Durant speculation. And Friday’s most recent update was enough to instantly break the internet.
ESPN’s lead Senior Insider Shams Charania has reported that the Durant market has come down to three finalists— the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Miami Heat.
It is unclear how much of KD’s preference will be the biggest factor in this deal getting done. Alongside this, the Phoenix Suns’ search for the most competitive deal for them will influence the outcome. An outcome featuring a combination of both notions could be enough to land the franchise’s biggest superstar since LeBron James in 2010.
Charania noted that this blockbuster deal could get finalized as early as this weekend.
Kevin Durant is one of the league’s most lethal scoring talents, averaging nearly 27 points on 53% shooting this past season.
Durant and Miami have circled back on each other several times over the years. Riley was at the finish line of getting a deal done at this trade deadline for Phoenix’s 15-time All-Star. Those discussions, according to Barry Jackson, reportedly ended when the Suns rejected the Heat’s February final offer. That attempted package included Jimmy Butler, Josh Richardson, Nikola Jovic, and one first-round draft pick.
Fast forward months later, and now the leverage is no longer in Phoenix’s favor. Durant has quietly displayed a disgruntled notion towards the Suns organization. They entertained trade offers behind his back from the beginning. Furthermore, Phoenix’s core has also failed to reach any sort of relevancy in the loaded Western Conference, which led to both parties needing to look elsewhere. Thus, another Heat Durant attempt emerges.
The 11th seed Suns missed the NBA play-in this season, which prevented them from entering the actual playoffs. This happened despite having a star-studded trio of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.
KD, even at the age of 36, remains a healthy and efficient top-10 caliber player.
It’s evident that KD is ready to settle into potentially his final destination to properly finish off his legendary career. The Heat organization could provide the stability that he has desperately needed.
However, it is unclear what trade package offer is in discussion from Riley at this juncture. But it’s been reported from several sources that they are trying their hardest to keep Kel’el Ware off the table. Virtually everybody else on the entire roster outside of the Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro duo seem expendable here.
They have several expiring contracts that could provide the Suns with desperately needed salary cap relief. Along with this, they have intriguing young pieces like Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr. Andrew Wiggins could also be an attractive headliner in a deal. He is someone that the Suns pursued at the deadline.
To sum it up, the Heat have assets to pull this off, hinting at whether Miami can transform those assets into a Durant acquisition.
It’s also uncertain how much draft capital exactly that Riley is willing to give up. Nonetheless, the Heat have three tradable first-round picks and pick swaps to utilize. That includes this year’s 20th pick of the June 25 NBA draft.
What exact trade package, along with Miami’s aggression to get this done, could be known within the next week.
Who would you be willing to give up for KD? Let us know in the comments!
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Seems close to impossible to me. How can Heat package anything close to the other suitors. Why would they want to gut the roster again for an old player anyway? Makes absolutely no sense to me…with Heat sorry roster and future financial commitments in shambles. Whatever happens… Heat will be irrelevant for years.
Noooooo
At the very least please get rid of Herro if you’re gonna do that
This is an idea that won’t happen. We are just being used again. There is no comparison in destinations for KD as the other two have so much more to offer him than us as far as a chance to win.
Team with Booker, Beal and KD won 36 games last season. Team with Bam and Herro won 37 games last season. I wonder how many will Heat win with Bam, Herro, KD and nobody else. 40?….45?…. 50?.
Even in best case scenario this is not a champion level team.
Suns were bad with KD, Nets were bad with KD, Heat would be bad with KD.
Not mention loosing young players and picks in the trade, and years of most boring basketball you can imagine.
kd on gsw on okc?.hes a top 10-15 player in history of nba.hes 36 and still playing at high level.if u have the chance of getting him w/o giving up bam or ware u do that in a heartbeat.he’d be the best player on our team easily.problem is dont have enough ammo to get him
For the hell of it, I tried Herro and Wiggins (plus 2 firsts) for KD on ESPN Trade Machine. It worked. Note: KD is scheduled to make $56.7M next year and is eligible for a 2 year/$124M extension.
Possible Heat Line-up:
Mitchell, Burkes, KD, Bam, Ware
Smith, Larsson, Jaquez, Johnson, Jovic
Expiring Contracts/Trade Candidates
Rozier, Robinson, Anderson, Highsmith, Love ($65M+)
I wouldn’t do it. Miami would still not have an elite back court, would still not be able to compete with the NBA’s elite teams and would also not have a first round pick for several years.
Wiggins and Rozier works also. But Suns not gonna bite that. Its Bam they want. Just like everyone else.
They’ll take Ware if they can get him. Bam has 5-10 years ahead of him. KD “the mercenary” has 3. If Riley trades Ware it is because he is very desperate. Bad move. If they go back to Bam at C, he’ll be the next one to ask for a trade.
insiders say Ware is untouchable. but we’ll see
id love to watch kd play night in night out for 3 years .might be the best pure scorer in history of nba .hes 7 ft with a handle aint nobody stopping that sweet jumper.bring him in my heat genes would be very excited.after all sports is entertainment.id be very entertained
Thunder’s turn for a comeback. Shai looks better when he’s not fishing too much for fouls. Hope it goes 7 games. Go Heat lol
he looks better when hes not gassed in the 4th.caruso was awesome tonight how did the lakers let him go this apron bs to harsh cant keep teams together ruining sports.
manila with the guys pat has assembled we are 3-5 years away from a chance to do anything.bad contracts bad players is how pat is going to go out
just one year haha. cross fingers
man these cats are athletic im so jealous wata game wow
benedict choked
doris burke is hard to listen to
wonder how knick fans are feeling
ind won 25 games 3 years ago then theyre gm got to work.
Detroit was 16-66 in 2023-2024. They improved by 28 games to 44-38 in 2024-2025. If there is a will, there is a way. They need someone who can shoot 3’s…someone like Herro. They have some interesting young players and a few picks available.
u overvalue ty with his d hes not worth to much,maybe a tim hardaway jr,your not getting ivy duran cats like that.again the # of shots u take directly effects pts.i say the best way to use herro is off the bench for 5 -8 mins a half.he gets worn down at the end of year hes either hurt or spent
Give up Dunc, Wiggs, Terry…
Meanwhile finals turning out to be very entertaining, very competitive. No blowouts. Seems Pacers and OKC are a good match up. So far.
ind has to many good 2 wayers okc in trouble.