Getty Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles against Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat during their game at Barclays Center on October 27, 2021 in New York City.
It’s not clear how much the Miami Heat would have to give up in order to bring Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant to South Beach, but there’s little doubt having the 12-time All-Star on the roster would boost the team’s chances to win an NBA title.
During an appearance on Get Up, ESPN analyst Jalen Rose took things even further when envisioning what the Heat would look like with Durant on the roster, and according to the former NBA player, it would make almost every other team irrelevant.
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Rose said having Durant in the starting lineup next to Heat star Jimmy Butler would make for one of the scariest duos in the league, but having the two-time Finals MVP working under the “the best coach in the NBA” who’s not Gregg Popovich — Erik Spoelstra, Miami could be unbeatable.
“The league is in trouble [if Kevin Durant teams up with Jimmy Butler in Miami].”
— Jalen Rose
“The league is in trouble because the greatness of KD now gets elevated with the best coach in the NBA,” Rose said on Tuesday, July 19. “So to put KD with that group of leadership and now all of a sudden, the hunger that he has for a franchise that has won championship before he got there in the Miami Heat, I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for him to further his career.”
Heat Forward Is ‘Excited’ at the Prospect of KD Joining the Team
GettyMax Strus #31 of the Miami Heat chases down a loose ball against the Boston Celtics during the first quarter in Game Six of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 27, 2022.
While things appear to remain in a holding pattern as Miami and other contending teams work to put a monster offer to send to Brooklyn, ESPN analyst Adrian Wojnarowski reported on July 12, that the Heat’s pursuit of Durant remains aggressive.
For certain Heat players, in particular, Tyler Herro, hearing about these rumored trade packages may be unsettling as it could mean they will soon be suiting up for a different team. However, forward Max Strus, the first Heat player to speak out about the Durant sweepstakes this summer, is “excited” about the possible blockbuster move.
Kevin Durant revenge season incoming? 😤
(via @bansky)
During a visit to the Heat’s youth camp at the FTX Arena on Tuesday, “I try not to get too into it,” Strus said of the Durant trade rumors, as reported by Sun Sentinel‘s Ira Winderman. “Obviously you see it, and people ask you about it. But I’ll wait until it happens. If something happens, it happens. If something happens, it happens.”
“But, yeah, how can you not want a guy like Kevin Durant? He’s a once-in-a-generation type player and great player in the game and one of the best of all time. I’m excited to see what happens and I hope the best for him and the best for our team. That’s all that really matters.”
The Heat Are Urged to Trade for Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell Instead of Durant
“Mitchell is Miami’s favorite current trade target not named Kevin Durant.”
– @thesteinline on Donovan Mitchell
While the Heat remains focused on Durant, ESPN’s NBA Insider Kevin Pelton recently urged Miami to dedicate all their time and energy to landing Utah Jazz’s three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell instead.
“Durant turns 34 in September, which puts him in the same range as Miami starters Jimmy Butler (33 in September) and Kyle Lowry (36),” Pelton wrote. “By contrast, the 25-year-old Mitchell would reset the Heat’s timeline and align it with 24-year-old center Bam Adebayo. And if Miami doesn’t think the Nets will ultimately trade Durant, this might be its best chance to land a third star while Butler is in his late prime.”
Despite his age, Durant remains one of the best players in the NBA. Last season, the 6-foot-10 forward averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, while shooting 51.8% from the field and 38.3% from beyond the arc.
As for Mitchell, the 6-foot-1 guard averaged 25.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game last season.
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