NBA Trade Rumors: Miami Heat continue to keep All-Star duo off limits in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes
Eastern Conference powerhouse the Miami Heat are reportedly one of the frontrunners in the sweepstakes for Kevin Durant. The two-time Finals MVP listed Miami and the Phoenix Suns as his preferred landing spots earlier this summer.
However, according to the Miami Herald's Anthony Chiang, the deal is complicated. The Heat are unwilling to add Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo to the package. The Brooklyn Nets have clarified that they are seeking an All-Star for Durant.
"Without including Jimmy Butler or Adebayo, any Heat offer for Durant would need to be headlined by the 22-year-old Tyler Herro, who was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year last season. Barring a change of heart, the expectation is Miami will not budge on its stance of keeping Adebayo and Butler off limits," Chang wrote.
Chang also wrote that the Brooklyn Nets' interest would be piqued if Pat Riley added Bam Adebayo to the deal. However, according to Chang, the teams could revisit the deal later.
"The Heat could revisit a potential trade for Durant if it becomes a more realistic option down the road, but is not in a holding pattern awaiting clarity from the Nets, " Chang wrote.
"Though the Nets would have interest in center Bam Adebayo in a Durant trade, the Heat has not included Adebayo in offers for Durant and is so far unwilling to do so, according to multiple league sources."
Report: Miami Heat continue to keep Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler ‘off limits’ in Kevin Durant trade talks heatnation.com/rumors/report-…
Can the Miami Heat land Kevin Durant?
As aforementioned, the Miami Heat have been one of the frontrunners for KD all summer long. However, putting together a package for a player of this magnitude is unheard off. No player of Durant's caliber has ever been traded. Kawhi Leonard's move to the Toronto Raptors is the closest to it.
The franchise from South Beach could easily put together a deal that includes Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson. Herro is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year who could be an All-Star. Lowry is a veteran who brings championship experience. Robinson is a sharpshooter, albeit with defensive deficiencies.
Despite the loss, Kevin Durant still scored enough to reach 25,000 career points Sunday.
LeBron James is the only active player that reached the feat faster than him.
Carmelo Anthony completes the trio as the only 3 active players with 25,000 points. https://t.co/gQgaqWDL96
Bam Adebayo's name keeps resurfacing in rumors. He is the only All-Star on the team other than Jimmy Butler. However, the catch is that the Nets cannot acquire Adebayo as long as they have Ben Simmons. This inability is due to an NBA rule that states no team can acquire two players who are under the designated rookie extension via trade.
This situation isn't ideal for either franchise. It leaves the door open for other teams to swoop in for Kevin Durant before the Miami Heat can make a deal.