The Miami Heat are lacking star power. Jimmy Butler‘s acrimonious exit has left Erik Spoelstra short on genuine All-Star talent. As such, Pat Riley is expected to be active throughout the summer.
According to ESPN’s Kevin Pelton, one option to quickly put the Heat back on the map would be trading for Kevin Durant. Pelton outlined a potential package that could be enough to bring the future Hall of Famer to South Beach. The deal would look like this:
Heat Get: Kevin Durant
Suns Get: Andrew Wiggins, either Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Nikola Jovic and draft picks.
“In that case, the Heat might not expect to add anyone better in 2026 than Kevin Durant,” Pelton explained. “If so, they should look to speed up the process — and avoid Durant being traded from Phoenix to a situation where he too would extend his contract — by acquiring him this summer.”
Pelton continued.
“If Miami could find a taker for Duncan Robinson, whose $19.9 million salary would have to be fully guaranteed for matching purposes, a package built around Wiggins and either Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Nikola Jovic, plus draft picks, would save Phoenix about $20 million in 2025-26 salary.”
Adding Durant would instantly give Miami enough offensive firepower to be competitive in the Eastern Conference. However, Riley would need to improve the supporting cast. Spoelstra’s team needs depth to emerge as legitimate contenders in the East.
Heat’s Roster Relieved at Trading Butler
According to Dan Le Batard, multiple members of the Heat roster were pleased that Butler was finally traded. The All-Star forward was sent to the Golden State Warriors ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
“The relief in that building that Jimmy Butler is gone, not just because of what’s happened over the last couple months, but because of how things were bent to him,” Le Batard said via his ‘The Dan Le Batard Show’ on March 6. “If you talk to enough Heat people, you will know they felt like they were dealing with something. And they were not saying this publicly in any way, an unstable ingredient that they used as a furnace and fuel to get a championship. Then when it became about money problems, nobody wanted to be at work.”
Butler has hit the ground running in Golden State. Nevertheless, Miami’s roster likely feels like they’ve improved due to addition by subtraction. Still, it’s clear another high-level star is needed within the rotation.
Jimmy Butler is Reportedly Happy With Warriors
According to a Feb. 23 report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Butler is happy to be part of the Warriors, and believes its the best organization he’s been part of.
“I’m telling you it’s different this time,” Charania said via NBA Countdown. “I haven’t sensed the same feeling he’s had when he went to Philly, when he went to Miami. This is different for Jimmy Butler going to Golden State. He’s staying late for shootaround, he’s staying late for practices and he’s spending so much time in the training room, the meal room.”
If Miami can flip Wiggins in a potential deal for Durant, then both teams would have improved their outlook in the Butler trade. However, landing an All-Star forward is never straightforward. Miami has its work cut out to entice the Phoenix Suns to the negotiating table.
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