Heat Refused to Trade Two Players for Kevin Durant Deal
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The NBA offseason is off and running, and that was the case even with the NBA Finals in the mix.
Many teams were trying to, and some did their best to bolster their roster, and that was the case for the Houston Rockets. The Rockets came away as winners in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes as they traded for the 15-time All-Star on Sunday just hours before Game 7.
It is a move that can and will continue to make shockwaves in the NBA. The Rockets are coming off a tremendous year that saw them earn the No. 2 seed in the West. The expectation is that they will only improve with the addition of Durant, which certainly elevates them to another tier.
Many teams had a chance to acquire Durant, including the Miami Heat. The expectation was that the Heat were among the favorites, but according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix, Miami was unwilling to trade away two of their key players, Nikola Jovic and Kel'el Ware, in a deal for Durant.
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles against Haywood Highsmith #24 of the Miami Heat during the game at Footprint Center on November 06, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Heat 115-112....
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles against Haywood Highsmith #24 of the Miami Heat during the game at Footprint Center on November 06, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Heat 115-112. More
Photo by"Miami was never really serious. They just pretend to be to appease their fan base."
The Miami Heat made Nikola Jovic and Kel'el Ware untouchable in trade talks for Kevin Durant and offered only one first-round pick, per @Gambo987
'Miami was never really serious. They just pretend to be to appease their fan base.' pic.twitter.com/YPPXbaAez3 — NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 23, 2025
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Heat had to assemble a substantial trade package to acquire Durant, without including Ware. The deal reportedly featured Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, Haywood Highsmith, the No. 20 pick in the 2025 draft, and a future pick swap.
The Heat were among the three teams for whom Durant was intended to join. Miami had the pieces to make a move for Durant, but it appeared they were never real contenders to land the four-time scoring champion.
Instead, the 36-year-old superstar is headed to Houston — a team that might've been just one piece away from title contention. With Durant in the fold, the Rockets now have a legitimate shot to win it all next season.
Houston wrapped up the year as the No. 2 seed in the West and excelled on both ends of the floor. They ranked eighth in offensive rating, sixth in defensive rating, and seventh in net rating—strong indicators of their two-way prowess.
Still, despite their success, they lacked a consistent go-to scorer who could generate offense in tight moments. According to GeniusIQ, the Rockets ranked 27th in effective field goal percentage on off-the-dribble jumpers and 24th overall on jumpers.
Durant gives them exactly what they needed: an elite offensive weapon who can elevate the group and deliver in the biggest moments.
More NBA news: Kevin Durant Speaks Out for First Time on Rockets Trade
Thunder-Pacers Game 7 Draws Biggest Audience in 6 Years
Suns Plan For Jalen Green Revealed Following Kevin Durant Trade
For more on Kevin Durant, the Miami Heat and general NBA news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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an hour ago
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What Can FIFA Learn From The Club World Cup For Next Year's World Cup?
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(Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images) South American fans in quantity and quality On the flip side, there have been some encouraging and entertaining highlights of South American fans adding enthusiasm and celebrating their teams and the sport. Boca Junior supporters have helped write a festive atmosphere in quality and quantity for two Group C matches at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. They made up the majority of the 55,574 who showed up for Boca's 2-2 draw against Benfica on June 16 and among the 63,587 at its 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich on June 20. It did not go unnoticed by Bayern. "I've had a long career and experienced a lot," Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said after his match. "There are times I want to be a player, and tonight was one of those times. They [Boca Juniors fans] are special. The crowd was hostile in the best possible way ... that's what I love about football. Many fans would pay to watch that." 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More Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Gianni Infantino after unveiling the 2025 Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office at the White House on March 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump signed an executive order establishing a White House Task Force for the 2026 World Cup. (Photo by) Trump's travel policies This also is another wildcard because things could change quite quickly. On June 4, the Trump administration announced a dozen countries that were banned from entering the United States and another seven that had travel restrictions. Many observers have feared it could affect attendance at the 2026 World Cup. The ban included Iran, whose team already had qualified for the World Cup, although sports teams are excluded from the ban. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. On Saturday, the United States bombed several nuclear facilities in Iran, further escalating tensions between the two countries. Trump travel policies haven't helped at all, even if they are not directed at a fan's particular country. Whether it is true or not, they might have heard stories of fans who have endured tough times trying to secure a visa or tourists who have had difficult times at border crossings. Word of mouth, even when false, can move at lightning speed on the internet, much quicker than the truth. There could be more countries added to the list between now and next June. The logo of the European qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup is pictured ahead of the event at ... More the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, on December 13, 2024. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images) Looking to next year So how does the Club World Cup affect the 2026 World Cup? When the dust has settled, many observers would love to know what FIFA has learned from this year's tournament and what it could improve for its baby, the men's World Cup. Will the organization slash ticket prices in advance? Will it try to change some kickoff times? Will FIFA add a new innovation or perhaps remove something? The 2026 tournament will be the largest World Cup in history, with 48 teams. It is so huge that it will take three North American countries to host it - Canada, Mexico and the U.S. It will be much more complicated, given 16 more teams and what is at stake. To be fair, there is no other soccer competition or single-sport event that comes close to the World Cup. Except for the Olympics, there is no other event that compares in scope and international interest. The Club World Cup and World Cup are in separate orbits, with the latter extravaganza enjoying a much loftier apogee. But it certainly will be intriguing to see if FIFA does some tweaking between now and next year.
USA Today
an hour ago
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