Though the rumors linking the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant have certainly quieted down since their peak earlier this offseason, the Heat reportedly remain “serious threats” to land the former MVP.
Trade talks have reportedly been “non-existent” recently, but the Heat may have to include Bam Adebayo as a last-ditch effort
As Heat fans may have guessed it, that trick is the inclusion of star big man Bam Adebayo in a potential deal.
“The Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat remain among the most serious threats to land Durant because they have the types of pieces necessary to satisfy the Nets’ asking price in a deal for the two-time NBA Finals MVP,” Shams Charania of The Athletic reported. “However, no one yet has met Brooklyn’s high price tag of an All-Star, other high-level players and draft picks — and conversations with those three front-runners have been non-existent recently. The Celtics offered All-Star Jaylen Brown, guard Derrick White and a first-round draft pick in July, according to league sources; the Raptors have refused to make Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes available; and Miami has yet to seriously engage with a package around All-Star Bam Adebayo.”
Based on what is known about the Nets’ current asking price, the Heat would likely have to include a number of players and picks to get a deal done.
The inclusion of Adebayo could tip the whole situation in the Heat’s favor, but it is not at all surprising that the Heat don’t want to include him.
Overall, the Miami front office seems determined to team Durant up with Adebayo and Jimmy Butler to create a fully fledged Big 3 in Miami.
If Adebayo is a necessary piece to get a deal done, then it would certainly diminish interest on the Heat’s end.
Right now, it seems that the Nets are somewhat hoping that a drawn-out process will reduce Durant’s interest in getting moved at all. Up to this point, however, that approach has not worked whatsoever.
Durant recently reaffirmed his desire to move on and play for a new organization.
Perhaps teams like the Heat are hoping that eventually the pressure Durant puts on the Nets will be great enough to force the team to lower its asking price. If that happens, the Heat would certainly look to strike a deal.