After trading away Jimmy Butler, the Miami Heat lacks star power. Erik Spoelstra will need reinforcements this summer if Pat Riley expects the franchise to compete for a championship soon.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz believes an offseason move for Kevin Durant makes the most sense. With the Phoenix Suns likely pivoting away from their failed big three, Durant is expected to be available. Swartz proposes the following trade:
Miami Heat Get: Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns Get: Kel’el Ware, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, a 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protected via Golden State Warriors) and a 2031 first-round pick (unprotected).
“Miami and Phoenix were already discussing Kevin Durant deals at last month’s deadline according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst, talks that could be revisited this summer,” Swartz reasoned. “Pairing Durant alongside Bam Adebayo and All-Star guard Tyler Herro would make the Heat a threat in the East once again. Especially with players like Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kyle Anderson, Nikola Jović, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love and others balancing out the roster.”
Swartz continued.
“The Suns recoup a pair of first-round picks and should be thrilled to acquire Ware, one of the top rookies in the 2024 class.”
Durant would immediately boost the Heat’s chances of success. A core of Durant, Adebayo, and Wiggins could give Spoelstra and Riley a strong foundation to build around. However, whether Riley is willing to meet Durant’s asking price remains to be seen.
Heat’s Bam Adebayo Has High Hopes For Wiggins
Wiggins played a key role in the Warriors’ 2022 championship run, delivering elite defense, athletic slashing, and perimeter-based floor spacing. Unsurprisingly, he earned his only All-Star selection that year.
During a March 11 media availability, Adebayo told reporters he believes Wiggins can rediscover his All-Star form with the Heat. The star big man added that he’s already seen Wiggins improve since arriving in South Beach.
“The more he gets comfortable, the more you see how gifted he really is,” Adebayo said. “We know what type of talent is. I mean, watching him in ones right now, it’s like, he’s got game. He’s got all the tools to be a successful player. I feel like once he really gets comfortable here, he’ll get back to the All Star Andrew.”
Heat’s Tyler Herro Addresses Blown Leads
The Heat’s inability to hold on to games from a winning position has been a big issue this season. The Heat have lost eight times after holding a double-digit lead this season, including their loss to the Chicago Bulls on March 8.
Tyler Herro admitted during his postgame news conference that Miami is still searching for an answer on how to fix their issue.
“S***, if we knew we would do it, not really sure how to get over the hurdle right now but just continuing to stick with it,” Herro said.
Spoelstra will undoubtedly come up with solutions to fix Miami’s current struggles. However, without a talented enough roster, he remains somewhat limited. While ideally, they would acquire Durant, the veteran All-Star will attract a big trade market. As such, there’s no guarantee the Heat will be able to pry him away from Phoenix.
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