The Miami Heat were a rumored landing spot for an NBA All-Star caliber player this offseason. They opened up some assets and have a few tradable contracts that could be attractive in building a blockbuster trade.
Donovan Mitchell, Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine were mentioned as possible targets for Miami. But, no one foresaw what was going to happen with the Brooklyn Nets, as the Heat are now a main suitor for Kevin Durant.
Durant requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets just before free agency was kicking off Thursday evening. One of the teams on his preferred landing spot list is the Miami Heat, who will do everything they can to acquire him.
Miami is not afraid to shake up their roster as long as it means getting close to winning an NBA Championship. Pat Riley almost always gets the job done and will do his best to add another All-Star to the mix.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Kevin Durant Trade Wish-List: Phoenix Suns No. 1, Miami Heat No. 2
However, there will be a snag in the negotiations. A little-known NBA rule about Designated Rookies would come into play, as Bam Adebayo is reportedly who the Nets are eyeing.
“As far as Miami, Brooklyn’s request would likewise start with Bam Adebayo, but that would open up a whole new can of worms. As first mentioned by Keith Smith of Spotrac, Brooklyn could not acquire Adebayo and still retain Ben Simmons, as league rules prohibit teams from rostering two designated rookie-scale-contract players acquired via trade.”
If the Heat presents the Nets with the best offer and that is the only holdup, you can almost guarantee that Ben Simmons will be on the move. Simmons didn’t play in a single game last season as he handled his mental health and a back injury.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Kevin Durant Trade Wish-List: Phoenix Suns No. 1, Miami Heat No. 2
The Brooklyn Nets don’t know what they have in Ben Simmons and his trade market would likely be ice cold, but that is not something they can allow to stall trade talks with the Miami Heat. They would work the phones feverishly trying to find the No. 1 overall pick from the 2016 NBA Draft if negotiations get far enough along with the Heat and Adebayo is a part of the deal.
