Kevin Durant’s request shook up the entire league, and there is no doubt that a lot of teams would love to have the superstar on their roster. Durant is an elite three-level scorer, and there’s no question that he would make a lot of teams top-tier contenders.
It was previously reported that Kevin Durant’s preferred destinations would be the Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat. If he were to pair up with Devin Booker or Jimmy Butler, that could result in a championship for the Suns or Heat.
Phoenix and Miami are among two of the teams that Kevin Durant has on his wish list, sources tell ESPN, but the Nets plan to move Durant where they can get the best possible deal. With four years on his contract, there’s no shortage of teams willing to unload assets for Durant.
Sam Amick of The Athletic has recently revealed that there is a “significant obstacle” to the Miami Heat being able to acquire Durant. That is because Durant reportedly only wants to play for the Heat if the team includes Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kyle Lowry. That means that Heat would be limited in what they could send out for Kevin Durant, and sending out one of those players could end up making him unhappy.
As for the Miami possibility that also seems to be in play, I’m told there’s a significant obstacle on that front. Durant, it seems, would only want to play on a Heat team that includes Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry. So even if the Heat were willing to move Butler in a deal as a way of satisfying the Nets’ (understandably pricey) request, doing so would leave Durant discontented from the start.
It makes sense that Kevin Durant would want to have some stars next to him to have an easier time competing in the Eastern Conference. If the Miami Heat were actually able to trade for Kevin Durant without giving up Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kyle Lowry, they would be a top-tier team and a contender.
Perhaps the Miami Heat will end up finding a way to trade for Kevin Durant even given the fact that they can’t send out high-value players by bringing in another team in a three-team trade. We’ll see if they are able to find a way to trade for him, and if they do get Kevin Durant, that would make them the favorite to get out of the Eastern Conference.
