The Miami Heat are on the verge of elimination, and with several key players out, it’s time to look toward the offseason. With Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, and others out with injuries, the Heat likely won’t come back from its 3-1 series deficit to the Boston Celtics.
So, what’s next for Miami? The team has been linked to several star players over the years, such as Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell, with the latter possibly becoming available this offseason. Yet, that might be unlikely if the Cleveland Cavaliers make a run to the NBA Finals.
However, one Western Conference executive believes a star player could be on the horizon if he requested a trade during the NBA offseason.
Miami Heat ‘favorite’ to trade for Kevin Durant this offseason
According to Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney, a Western Conference executive said that a “few teams” would come up if Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Phoenix Suns. However, the Heat would be a “favorite” to land the 35-year-old star player.
This isn’t the first time that Durant has been connected to Miami. During Durant’s free-agent visits in 2016, the Heat tried to lure him to South Florida. Instead, the former Oklahoma City Thunder forward signed with the Golden State Warriors.
Fast-forward to February 2023, and Miami was interested once again. The Heat and Suns were the favorites to trade for Durant, but the latter offered a massive deal that the Brooklyn Nets couldn’t refuse. Again, Miami fell short of one of the best pure scorers in NBA history.
With the Suns being swept in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs, Durant’s future is in question after a report that he “wasn’t comfortable” in the offense led by head coach Frank Vogel. It’s easy to understand why, with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal needing the ball too.
There would be a path for a “Big 3” of Durant, Butler, and Bam Adebayo, but Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson must be involved. With a rough 2023-’24 NBA season, the Heat will likely make some significant changes either way, starting with them.
Durant may not be the same player he was four years ago with the Warriors, but he is still a star player who can produce when given the right opportunity and coaching staff. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra would be the perfect leader, and the idea of Durant next to Butler and Adebayo is really intriguing.
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