The Miami Heat made a strong push to acquire Kevin Durant — but according to a new report, it wasn’t enough to sway the Phoenix Suns.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that Miami was willing to send Terry Rozier, Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Haywood Highsmith, and the No. 20 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft in exchange for Durant and Cody Martin. But Phoenix countered with a higher asking price that included Nikola Jovic and a future pick swap, alongside several of those same assets.
“Per source with direct knowledge, Heat were willing to offer Wiggins, Rozier, Highsmith, Jaquez, and [the] 20th pick,” Jackson wrote. “Per Shams, Suns wanted Jaquez, Jovic, Highsmith, 20th pick, and a pick swap — as well as Wiggins/Rozier inclusion. Jovic and Kasparas J. need to work out to justify the decision, which was a difficult one for the Heat to reach.”
Back when Durant was looking for a way out of Phoenix, the Heat were one of several teams in pursuit, joining the Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, and Rockets. With averages of 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 52.7% shooting last season, Durant remains one of the biggest stars in the NBA, and his impact on the court is undeniable.
Durant’s arrival would have sparked life into the Miami Heat and put them back on the map as contenders in the East. Together, Durant, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro could have dominated the league and made a respectable title run.
Instead, they decided to turn the other way when the Suns asked to part with two of their most prized young players: Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jacquez Jr. While the Suns may have been willing to trade one of them, they couldn’t bring themselves to give up both of them, as well as Kasparas Jakucionis (the 20th pick in this summer’s draft).
That decision came on the heels of Jimmy Butler’s departure, which set the franchise back by several years. Now, with Bam Adebayo as the last remaining star, the Heat are stuck in NBA purgatory: not good enough to contend and not bad enough to earn a high lottery pick.
Of course, after the trade of Haywood Highsmith, the trade looks even worse for the Heat. They gave up one of their own picks to get him off the books, a much worse return than using him as part of a package for a top-10 player in the league.
In the end, Durant was traded to the Rockets, where he’s expected to compete for a top spot in the West alongside Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Clint Capela, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Fred VanVleet.
For a franchise that prides itself on aggressive moves and championship expectations, the Heat’s decision to walk away from a Kevin Durant deal is one that will linger. Whether it was the right call hinges entirely on the development of Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kasparas Jakucionis, young prospects now under immense pressure to validate Miami’s restraint.
If any of them fail to pan out, the Heat may look back on this missed opportunity as the moment their title window truly slammed shut.
