Could the Miami Heat acquire Kevin Durant at a discount?

The days are counting down toward the 2025 NBA Draft, which begins on June 25, where the Miami Heat own the No. 20 overall pick.

However, that is also, reportedly, the (soft) deadline for the Phoenix Suns will trade superstar forward Kevin Durant, who’s entering the final year of his $54.7 million deal.

The four teams who have been most in the mix for the 15-time All-Star include the Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves. At this point in time, the Suns haven’t found a single deal they have liked (or else a deal would have been done), as time is running out to trade the 36-year-old after they screwed up by lumping him into trade talks ahead of February’s deadline.

Thus, they have no leverage in negotiation and there doesn’t appear to be any budging.

“The Phoenix Suns may be placing too high a value on Kevin Durant and might have to reduce their asking price in negotiating a trade,” Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reported Tuesday. “The Suns have ‘no leverage’ in part because of Durant’s age and because he wants to start fresh elsewhere, league sources say. The idea of Durant returning to a team that entertained deals for him before the 2025 trade deadline isn’t a pleasant one.

“So, a team can wait and see if Phoenix asks for less in a trade. The Suns also would like to get this done before the June 25-26 NBA draft because draft picks are expected to be part of any deal. … When The Republic began talking to league sources about the Suns trading Durant, one NBA executive said the team should always look to get the ‘best deal’ even when working with a player on finding a trade partner.”

The Miami Heat have a thin margin-for-error when it comes to the negotiation table for Durant. One should argue that they shouldn’t even be at the table because 1.) they don’t have enough assets and 2.) the window is passed for star-hunting, considering they’re less than two months removed from getting embarrassed in the first round to Cleveland.

If you want more on why they would be out of their minds to overpay for Durant, who, at 36, is still a very good offensive player, click here.

Now, at a discounted price, the discussion becomes slightly more fascinating, even though there would still need to be subsequent moves to justify. The more you pay for Durant, the less you have left over, and vice versa.

We know the Heat likely aren’t trying to trade Ware. It would be irresponsible and short-sighted to trade your best asset not named Bam Adebayo for Durant, who’s in the twilight of his career. Miami has three tradable first-round picks–in 2025, 2030 and 2032, the latter of which couldn’t be traded until after the new league year begins–plus a collection of young players (Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez) and a pair of expiring contracts that could help provide some salary relief (Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson). Oh, and Andrew Wiggins.

As HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported Monday, the Phoenix Suns have interest in Andrew Wiggins–who they would like to tag along with Ware in any Durant trade. Once again, considering the price for Durant is low, including Ware wouldn’t make any sense if nobody else is going to budge (which nothing suggests that will be the case … anytime soon, at least).

Miami also has to be careful about trading future firsts or first-round pick swaps. San Antonio’s taken advantage of trade partners with collecting future swaps because, well, teams are more willing them (as opposed to outright) and they don’t violate the Stepien Rule. If Miami’s acquiring an aging star, while it’s difficult to project what happens five years from now, there will be long-term ramifications, even if the Heat don’t tank (they still may suck anyway).

A lot can happen, but the Heat’s margin-for-error is thinner than San Antonio or Houston, who have a boatload of draft capital, intriguing young talent and, in Houston’s case, salary relief! Any action has an equal and opposite reaction. Miami’s in a Catch 22, even though they are going to have to offer a little bit more to the table if it wants to nab its 36-year-old star … and time is running out.

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