We’re less than one week away from the 2025 NBA Draft and less than two weeks away from free agency, which tips off on June 30 at 6 p.m. EST! The NBA Finals will be wrapping up on Sunday, but the real offseason fun is right around the corner!
As for the Miami Heat, they were mercifully swept out of the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was embarrassing–and a reality check for where this franchise is at. Changes are expected to be made, and one of those changes could be inserting 36-year-old Kevin Durant into the mix, as they have been directly afront his sweepstakes for the last several weeks.
However, should that be their primary route? Or should they go in a different direction? To me, while we know they’re always going to try and compete, in order to maximize their short- and long-term outlook, what they should do this offseason couldn’t be more obvious.
The Miami Heat should be acquiring assets and lean into their development, not the inverse:
Is Durant an all-time great? Yes! Is Durant still a really good basketball player when he’s available? Yes! Would he help the Heat become more competitive in the East? Also yes!
That said, pouring more assets into this cracked bucket–even for a player as good as Durant is, for a discounted price–wouldn’t be wise when multiple other moves would need to be made. Acquiring the aging star–who has a deep history of soft tissue injuries, which are more difficult to recover from at an older age–with follow-ups further depletes an already compromised war chest of assets … and at what cost?
Do the Heat still have assets of value? You could argue yes, but the value is in the eye of the beholder.
What if the Heat find another team not named the Phoenix Suns looking for cap relief? Or a team in need of shooting? Duncan Robinson could be an attractive asset for a rotation player and potentially a couple of second-round picks (possibly?). What could Haywood Highsmith (expiring) get you on the open market? Or Kyle Anderson? What kind of draft capital or young assets could you get for Andrew Wiggins? We saw what Desmond Bane could fetch–the Heat should be kicking the tires on exploring Tyler Herro’s market if they don’t extend him.
Again, the value and compensation are in the eye of the beholder. Nevertheless, the uncomfortable truth is that capitalizing on the market, when you’re devoid of assets, should be your primary goal if you’re in the position that the Heat are in.
For the most part, since Jimmy Butler arrived in the summer of 2019, the Heat have always found themselves in discussions–whether true or untrue–for acquiring more help (i.e., another star talent). The reason(s) were justifiable, since they made two Finals and three conference finals during his tenure. However, not only did they not have enough to climb over the mountaintop, but they never had enough to sit at the dinner table for acquiring another (super)star to place alongside Butler.
We all saw what happened after the Heat traded away Butler: They’re not close to contending.
Am I expecting the Heat to “re-tool” with a lean year? No. But should it be amid the circumstances, even in a slightly less competitive East? Yes.
Durant makes the Heat more watchable. He elevates the team’s offensive output, which has been a bottom-third unit for the last three years. Watching an all-time great donning red and black would be objectively awesome.
But we can also be honest about this team’s outlook, their direction and future.
If the Heat want to put themselves in conversations for a true star talent in the future, if you’re really the best developmental organization in the NBA, focus on acquiring and developing your young talent (Kel’el Ware, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson, Keshad Johnson), find ways to obtain more assets (draft capital, players on cost-controlled contracts) and buy low on players with legitimate potential.
While watching another play-in team may not be ideal, now is the perfect time to take one or two steps back to propel yourself forward, when you’ll be better positioned to take a swing on a star talent that aligns with Bam Adebayo’s timeline in the future instead of kicking that can down the road, when the future may really be bleak.
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we can have kd if we give up ware.im against that,only thing ware looked lost at times when playing with bam.i dont want a guy that tall around the 3pt line.i think if kd went to sas they could win a chip.houst not quite there with kd.anyway this is a panthers town now they have replaced the heat as the hot team down here
“Durant makes the Heat more watchable. He elevates the team’s offensive output, which has been a bottom-third unit for the last three years. Watching an all-time great donning red and black would be objectively awesome.
But we can also be honest about this team’s outlook, their direction and future.
If the Heat want to put themselves in conversations for a true star talent in the future, if you’re really the best developmental organization in the NBA, focus on acquiring and developing your young talent (Kel’el Ware, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson, Keshad Johnson), find ways to obtain more assets (draft capital, players on cost-controlled contracts) and buy low on players with legitimate potential.
While watching another play-in team may not be ideal, now is the perfect time to take one or two steps back to propel yourself forward, when you’ll be better positioned to take a swing on a star talent that aligns with Bam Adebayo’s timeline in the future instead of kicking that can down the road, when the future may really be bleak.”
I absolutely, unequivocally agree with these statements. Miami is not currently in a position to compete in the East with or without Durant. Therefore, the focus should be on trading pieces that do not fit who are on multi-year contracts (Herro and Wiggins), and trading, if possible, or allowing contracts to expire for Rozier, Robinson, Anderson, Highsmith and Love. This would give Miami a solid core to build around (Bam, Mitchell plus young players on rookie contracts (Ware, Jovic, Jaquez, Johnson and possibly Smith), plus 2025 and 2026 draft picks, plus considerable salary flexibility for free agents as the result of saving $65+M in expiring contracts.
With this core, plus whatever quality two-way players and draft picks can be obtained by trading Herro and Wiggins and possibly others, plus the salaries saved from expiring contracts, next summer, Miami should be in a position to quickly assemble a new, improved, younger and more athletic team. It would also give Miami time to further evaluate and make determinations regarding the suitability of players on rookie contracts and G Leaguers.
Bottom line: Miami must make use the coming gap year to clean house and develop a path for future success. Anything less would only be a denial of the reality of the direction of the new NBA and further attempts to avoid or at minimum, delay the inevitable, years of mediocrity. That would be like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic or putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound. There is no time like the present to grab the bull by the horns and be in control of the team’s destiny rather than a victim of management’s poor planning.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR IMPULSIVE OR IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION DECISIONS! IT IS THE TIME FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING!
who are the core players bam ware who the f else.this is the titanic right now.
Praying that Pat Riley is just masterclassing this and making the Rockets pay more while quietly exploring Tyler, finding Duncan offloads, examining Kuminga, and prepping to sign Burks + Mitchell
Agree. Hopefully, Riley will use logic and common sense, rather than ego and impulsiveness to ensure the team’s competitive viability for years to come.
This was a really well written article that articulates my thoughts pretty much, except better than I can.
The funny thing is that KD’s value is dropping to where reports say he wouldn’t cost us three picks, but only one. But, it would cost Wiggins, Ware, and probably Robinson, so it’s still questionable. But, if the value goes down anymore, to where it doesn’t include Ware, and still only one pick, maybe you consider it.
Still, like our writer explains, getting KD would still require other moves, or why risk it?. And by acquiring him and another top player then you could make us competitive, but only maybe second round of playoffs competitive. And you use up even more of our few assets to do so. In other words, we are still better off passing on the KD deal.
The counter to this is hfl’s position that we could be mediocre for ten years, and that is a concern too. But, taking everything into account, passing on KD, but making a few trades ( Herro, maybe a few others) and drafting well and developing what we have is the better percentage move.
I agree. I tried to summarize my feelings (and plan) above.