The Miami Heat are a team that has often been linked with Kevin Durant, and there is no doubt that he would be a fantastic fit with the team. The Miami Heat frequently struggled on offense during the playoffs, and Kevin Durant would surely help with that issue.
It is quite likely that the Miami Heat don’t want to give up Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo to add Kevin Durant to their roster, as they still want to be a competitive team. Here is a trade scenario that would allow them to do so, and seems like fair value for a player like Kevin Durant. It must be noted that this deal can only happen once Nikola Jovic’s contract
Miami Heat Receive: Kevin Durant
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, Nikola Jovic, 2023 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2027 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2029 First-Round Pick (MIA)
The Miami Heat Create A Top-Tier Big Three
For the Miami Heat, the reason to do this trade is very simple. They would be getting a top-5 player in the league, and Kevin Durant is definitely a player that can push them to be a true championship-caliber team. As mentioned previously, he would give them another top-tier shot creator aside from Jimmy Butler. Kevin Durant would also be a menace on the defensive end, as he is a multi-position defender and a solid rim protector due to his height.
Kevin Durant moving to the Miami Heat would make them one of the favorites to win the NBA championship. Jimmy Butler managed to take the Miami Heat all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals: with Kevin Durant as the primary option and Jimmy Butler as the secondary one, the Heat could do some damage. Kevin Durant would also take some pressure off of Bam Adebayo to score, allowing him to focus on defense and playmaking.
The Miami Heat would have to give up a good amount of assets to get Kevin Durant, but it makes sense for them to make a consolidation trade to improve their ceiling. It is clear that they need more star power to be a championship-caliber team, and if they get Kevin Durant, the Heat would be absolutely insane on both ends of the floor.
The Brooklyn Nets Get A Huge Trade Package For Kevin Durant
For the Brooklyn Nets, this would be an opportunity to get a solid trade package that would give them some good young prospects, multiple shooters, and good draft compensation.
Tyler Herro is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, and if he were traded to the Nets, he would likely become the No. 1 offensive option on that team. He is the clear centerpiece of this package, and Herro definitely has All-Star potential. Max Strus and Duncan Robinson would be elite shooters that are only now entering their prime, while Nikola Jovic could be their big man of the future. Jovic would likely get a lot of development minutes on the Nets, which would help him reach his potential. Kyle Lowry’s contract would be the salary filler in this scenario, but he could definitely help the team with his experience, and could potentially be traded later on.
The Miami Heat would also get three draft picks in this deal. The 2027 and 2029 first-round picks would be particularly valuable in this scenario, as those years are likely outside of the Heat’s contending window.
There is no doubt that a lot of teams can offer a good package for Kevin Durant. However, this is one of the best ones out there: adding a shooting guard in Tyler Herro who averaged 20.7 PPG is a good start to a rebuild, and we’ll see if the Brooklyn Nets and the Miami Heat agree on a deal in the future.
