Time is ticking on Kevin Durant’s future with the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns are aiming to trade Durant, 36, by the 2025 NBA Draft, which is exactly one week away. The issue is that they have no leverage because they mistakenly threw him into trade talks ahead of the trade deadline when they didn’t need to. Miami is one of his three preferred destinations because of its willingness to extend a contract to the 37-year-old upon acquiring him. However, the issue that Phoenix is running into is that none of them are particularly aggressive in pursuing Durant due to the leverage.
We know that Houston and San Antonio possess far more ammo than the Heat in any Durant negotiation, but who will be willing to blink first? Regardless of whether the Heat are able to snag the 15-time All-Star on a “discounted” price, what happens after should hold more weight.
The Heat’s plan after acquiring Kevin Durant is more important than the acquisition itself:
We aren’t many weeks removed from the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers dismantling the No. 8-seeded Miami Heat in the first round of this year’s playoffs, which occurred after the 37-win Heat became the first team in NBA History to win two play-in games on the road against Chicago and Atlanta, respectively.
Over four months after parting ways with a disgruntled Jimmy Butler, Heat president Pat Riley is seeking his new “whale.” Cough cough, it’s Durant, who the Heat have pursued on multiple occasions, but never had enough to 1.) please the team they’re trading with and 2.) compete with their peers in an attempt to lure Durant.
This offseason is a different story–Miami appears to “have enough,” but remains devoid of assets with far too many holes to plug. Here’s what they’re working with right now:
- Three tradable first-round picks (2025, 2030, 2032)
- None of their own second-round picks
- Andrew Wiggins (two years left on contract, had one of worst seasons of his career)
- A collection of intriguing young players!
- Kel’el Ware (arguably the Heat’s best asset not named Bam Adebayo)
- Nikola Jovic (skilled wing who’s only played 107 games in three years)
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. (sophomore slump)
- Terry Rozier (had one of the worst seasons of his career, has a partial guarantee that’s roughly 95 percent of the way guaranteed)
- Duncan Robinson (can offer $10 million in salary relief!)
- Haywood Highsmith ($5.6 million expiring)
- Kyle Anderson (good locker room vet on inexpensive contract)
That’s … a barren treasure chest.
The Heat have finished in the bottom-third offensively in each of the last three seasons. Durant, by himself, helps alleviate a few of those troubles, as he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists on 52.7 percent shooting, including 43.0 percent from 3-point range and 839 percent from the free-throw line (albeit a career-worst).
There’s a world where he raises the floor of their offense to a top-15 unit. However, there’s still plenty of work to do around the fringes.
Durant’s presence doesn’t impact the Heat’s lack of rim pressure, movement shooting–especially if the Heat trade Robinson, who’s one of their more attractive assets because of his contract–point-of-attack defense, wing defense, need for a (playable) backup big, etc.
Not to mention, Durant, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo would allocate for nearly 80 percent of the cap in 2025-26 and, if Durant’s extended for the full $124 million max beyond this upcoming season, 84.4 percent in ’26-27.
Flexibility and optionality would be limited. Either sacrifices would be made to replenish what you sent out–capitalizing on the market–or you’re left with less options to consolidate (unless you take back at least one bad contract attached with an asset or draft capital) while relying on several free agents to take less than market value to sign with the Heat.
It’s possible, but your margin for error becomes demonstrably thin, especially if you’re banking on Durant to 1.) be your best offensive player and 2.) stay healthy, when he’s appeared in just 68.5 percent of his available games (with two Grade 2 MCL sprains) since 2019-20 (out for season; ruptured achilles).
How the Heat maintain flexibility would be just as important. It’s difficult to put together formidable top-heavy rosters in today’s NBA, except when the stars are in the thick of their prime (i.e. Celtics). That wouldn’t be the Heat if they inserted Kevin Durant into the mix, even with as skilled as Durant is offensively.
He helps, but the former MVP isn’t fixing all of the Heat’s deficiencies no matter the cost. We just saw them have their worst season in a decade, just to get blasted out of the first-round. They’re still far from contention, with or without Durant.
Plenty of work would have to be done to salvage this mess. You acquire Kevin Durant if you think you’re on the fringe of contention. Your plan must be flawless, it must be foolproof, or else what’s the point of taking that swing in the first place?!?
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As we have explored this trade opportunity and talked it out I have realized that it just doesn’t make sense no matter how you approach it. We simply would be hurting ourselves, as much or more, as helping ourselves. The return, even discounted, is too much for us to consider as it would also necessitate getting a few more players, possibly a center and a point guard, to close holes in our remaining roster depending on who we send to Phoenix, or why even do it?
And the loss of assets, players and especially our few remaining picks, would be way more impactful than the possible addition of KD
We just don’t have the resources. Miami is backed into a corner with a roster that needs some turning over but with some elements that may be hard to move, or if movable, won’t bring much back.
We have to bite the bullet, try to enjoy our season as much as possible, and start to try to fix our roster. We can’t trade anyone that subtracts from our tiny core of Bam, Wiggins, Mitchell, and Ware. Everyone else is tradeable and quite a few should be traded, although we could keep three or four of the remaining seven. First, and most importantly, Herro will bring us back the most and should definitely be moved as it would be another huge mistake to give him the next contract. We need to trade at least three, better yet four, of the following, JJJ, Jovic, Dunc, Rozier, HH, and Anderson. I think Burks is useful and inexpensive.
We have a weak GM, one who was previously great but those days are long gone. It is proof of his ineffectiveness now that he is even wasting his time entertaining this foolish KD talk. So, until he is gone, we are going to suffer. The real necessary step would be his removal.
But, since that isn’t coming, get ready for some really lean years. Try to find things to enjoy, like seeing if Ware, JJJ or Jovic develop, and get used to mediocrity. It gives me no pleasure to write this but, if we are being honest, we are so far behind now, it’s a fait accompli.
I think getting a good PG should be more of a priority than getting KD
Sun man any thoughts on Herro gone if Durant acquired?