Whenever a star NBA player hits the market, the Miami Heat are seemingly always mentioned as a potential landing spot. Pat Riley has shown in the past that he is willing to do whatever it takes to build a contending roster and push the team closer to another Larry O’Brien trophy, even if it means clearing out the entire roster.
This offseason, the rumors have once again run rampant when it comes to the Heat. They were loosely connected to Bradley Beal before he re-signed with the Washington Wizards for a supermax deal. South Beach is reportedly one of the preferred landing spots for Donovan Mitchell should he be on the move.
But, the crown jewel of the offseason trade market is Kevin Durant. Unsurprisingly, the Heat are one of the two teams that were on his list of preferred landing spots. The feeling is mutual, as Miami has been the most determined trade suitor thus far when it comes to the Brooklyn Nets superstar.
However, they are going to have to get creative if they want to have a real chance of acquiring him. A trade package of Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro and three first-round picks isn’t close to what the Nets are looking for. Brooklyn is looking for a record-breaking return, as they want blue-chip All-Stars and numerous draft picks.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND RUMORS: Major Obstacle Miami Heat Face For Kevin Durant Trade
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN provided the most recent update in the Durant saga. The Miami Heat is going to have to get some help from other teams in the league to meet the lofty asking price that the Nets have set.
Based on the reports of what the Brooklyn Nets asked for from other teams, as Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards were in the proposal for the Minnesota Timberwolves along with multiple first-round picks, the Heat aren’t going to come close on their own.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND RUMORS: Major Obstacle Miami Heat Face For Kevin Durant Trade
Even if they include Bam Adebayo and the Nets can find a taker for Ben Simmons because they would be violating the Designated Rookie rule, Miami is likely still lacking the assets to make a competitive offer.
Nevertheless, the Miami Heat cannot be counted out until the very end. Riley will exhaust every possible option to put together as strong of a trade package as they can. Until Kevin Durant is traded to another team, Miami needs to be considered one of the favorites to pull off a deal for him as Riley has a track record of pulling off the improbable.
