Heat interested in Durant for a fourth time: Where things stand as Suns explore trade

Miami Herald

a day ago

Months after making a trade offer for Kevin Durant, the Heat again has interest in acquiring the 15-time All-Star forward, but only at the right price, a source with direct knowledge said Wednesday.
Confirmation of the Heat's renewed interest in Durant came after ESPN's Shams Charania reported Wednesday that the Heat and Suns have been in conversations about Durant during the past week, and that Miami, Houston, San Antonio, New York and Minnesota are teams with interest, with other dark horse teams also in the mix.
Per ESPN, the Suns and Durant's business partner, Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman, 'have met multiple times over the past week and are sifting through trade scenarios. The two sides are expected to work together on potential destinations.'
Durant has one year left on his contract (for $54.7 million), and that gives him some leverage in where he's traded.
After being traded (which is expected), Durant will be eligible to sign a two-year contract extension worth as much as $112 million. If he waits six months after the trade, he could sign a two-year extension worth up to $124 million.
A Durant extension likely would mean the Heat would not be a player in 2026 free agency.
This will be at least the Heat's fourth pursuit of Durant during the past decade. Miami tried to land him in 2016 free agency, then tried to acquire him in 2022 (when he requested a trade from Brooklyn; he wasn't traded until eight months later, to Phoenix) and then made an offer for him before this past February's trade deadline.
That Heat offer, according to a source, included Jimmy Butler (who was subsequently traded to Golden State), Josh Richardson, a first-round pick and another component. Five Reasons Sports reported that Miami offered Nikola Jovic as that fourth component
But the Suns rejected that offer, asking for a larger return despite cap restrictions that would have made it difficult for Miami to add more salary.
Miami holds Durant in high regard but didn't want to offer all of its trade assets — meaning its top young players and all its available draft inventory. Miami is believed to still feel the same way, even though it would love to add Durant.
The Heat typically would open the cupboard and offer most of its top assets for players who are younger.
Durant will turn 37 on Sept. 29.
He's still highly effective; last season, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 52.7% and 42.3% on threes.
The Spurs and Rockets would seem to have the most assets to offer for Durant, and the Knicks instantly would become a top contender if they offer Karl Anthony-Towns, whose contract would make a trade easier to facilitate.
But the Heat has two advantages: a skilled young center in Kel'el Ware (Phoenix reportedly wants a center, but it's unclear if the Heat would offer him), and Duncan Robinson's contract, which would save the Suns well more than $20 million and help get them under the second apron and potentially under the luxury tax line.
Robinson is due to make $19.9 million next season, but only $9.9 million is guaranteed. A team that acquires Robinson could release him by the July 8 guaranteed deadline and save $10 million against the cap and luxury tax.
A team acquiring Robinson also would save substantial money, for cap and tax purposes, for this reason:
His full $19.9 million salary counts on the Heat's books in a trade, but only $9.9 million counts for the team acquiring him before July 8.
As a hypothetical, let's say Miami sent Robinson, Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson and Golden State's 2025 first-round pick, two second-rounders and pick swaps for Durant. That's $54 million in salary being sent out by the Heat and $54.7 million (Durant's salary) coming back.
When NBA trades (involving $30 million or more in salaries for each team) are made involving teams without cap space but under the aprons, salaries must be within 125% of each other, plus as much as $250,000. But teams over the first or second aprons (which are about $8 million and $20 million over the tax line, respectively) cannot acquire any more money than they're sending out. The Suns are above the second apron at the moment.
That aforementioned hypothetical trade would be cap compliant for Miami because of the 125 percent rule and would be cap compliant for the Suns because they're taking back less money than they send out, a requirement for teams over either apron, and not aggregating contracts, a requirement for teams over the second apron.
Among numerous other hypothetical Heat/Durant trades that would satisfy cap requirements:
▪ Wiggins, Robinson, Ware, Kevin Love and a first-round pick or two.
▪ Wiggins, Robinson, Jovic and Love and a first-round pick or two.
▪ Wiggins, Robinson and two among Ware, Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr., and a pick.
The Heat can trade two-first rounds before the draft: The 20th overall selection this season and a first-round pick in 2030 or 2031.
The Heat can trade as many as three first-round picks if the deal is agreed to before the draft but not executed until after the draft. In that scenario, Miami could select a player on behalf of another team at No. 20 and then trade 2030 and 2032 first-round picks after the draft.
The Heat's 2032 first-round pick cannot be traded until after the draft because teams cannot deal picks more than seven years out.
Per ESPN, Durant has averaged at least 25 points, 50% shooting and 40% on 3-pointers in three straight seasons, the longest streak in NBA history. ever in the NBA, according to ESPN Research. Last season, he shot an NBA-best on jumpers (49.7%) and midrange shots (53.1%). He also had the best shooting percentage on off-the-dribble jumpers (50.9%)
Hoopswire reported this week that Durant would like to be traded to the Spurs, but that has not been corroborated by any other media outlet.