With reports of Giannis Antetokounmpo staying in Milwaukee, the biggest domino of the upcoming offseason has already dropped. Now, a Kevin Durant trade is on the horizon. According to Shams Charania, the aging superstar will be on his way out of Phoenix before the draft as the Suns want to make a quick turnaround to avoid the second apron. This leaves little time for other teams to rely on anything other than instincts and should give us a powder keg moment in the next 12 days.
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The reported suitors for a Durant trade include the Rockets, the Spurs, the Timberwolves, the Knicks, and, shockingly, the Heat.
The Spurs seem most likely. They were able to swoop in for De’Aaron Fox after the former Kings point guard claimed he would not sign an extension anywhere else. Durant could be a similar story, as it seems many players want to join a core of Victor Wembenyama and the upcoming number two overall pick.
For a trade to Miami to work, however, it would have to be focused either entirely on Tyler Herro, who is truly redundant to Devin Booker and needs an extension, or on the paltry amount of picks the Heat have to offer. However, Herro seemingly doesn’t care about the price and simply wants to praise his favorite player.
Herro joined a stream on Kick with N3on and Adin Ross. There, he made his all-time starting five. “Steph Curry at point, I like Kobe at the two,” he started, “LeBron at the three, KD, KD, KD at the four.”
The triple mention had some fans wondering why Herro put such an emphasis on Durant. Was it because a trade was coming? Maybe, but those same fans were not happy with Herro for this stream as a whole.
Some joked that he was avoiding a tampering fine, while others were furious with his other comments on stream. Both camps have valid points, as Herro isn’t known to have the best decision-making on or off the court.
For the Heat, though, last offseason was defined by their struggle to convince an aging star they could contend. Funny enough, they offered Jimmy Butler as part of a package to the Suns for Durant at the deadline. While the Suns rejected the deal, they could circle back, accepting Andrew Wiggins’ 1+1 deal instead of Butler’s now three-year albatross.
As unlikely as a KD trade would be for Miami, the pairing of Bam Adebayo and Kevin Durant, alongside Kel’el Ware, would be incredibly fun to watch. Three hugely talented, gangly 2K demigods sharing the floor, all at vastly different points in their careers, could be a recipe for an incredible story and a wholesome, albeit disappointing end to Durant’s career.
