Pat Riley and the Miami Heat have a lot of big decisions to make. While the current roster is enough to remain competitive in the East, a big trade for Kevin Durant or even Donovan Mitchell could bring them several steps closer to bringing home a title.
The problem is, the price for both players is at an all-time high right now, and it’ll be hard for Miami to pull something off without shipping away several key pieces of their core.
Nevertheless, the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman made the case for a Bam/Durant swap that surprised many in the community.
Q: For me, Bam Adebayo is only untouchable on this roster, due to the fact the Heat would have no defenders at the four and five – Alt.
Winderman: First, if you get a Kevin Durant, you have a defender at power forward. And it’s not as if Bam Adebayo was shutting down the game’s biggest centers. As with Bam, if he were to be moved in a deal, then Erik Spoelstra would adjust a system to his new personnel. That’s what the best coaches do. You can be wed to a player; you can’t be wed purely to a system. Bam is unique, thus the unique defensive approach these past few seasons.
Durant is obviously most known for his offense. As one of the best scorers in the game, he provides a punch on that end of the floor that is truly unmatched. But his defense is often overlooked as a result.
As a long body with an insane wingspan, KD can make life tough for even the most elite players. Adebayo isn’t as effective in that regard, which is why a swap involving them is worth considering for Miami.
It’s an unlikely scenario, but one that could become a reality if Pat Riley is desperate enough to maximize his team’s title chances.
