Getty Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles against Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat
There has been steady pandemonium around the Brooklyn Nets, NBA, and Kyrie Irving since the June 20 report from Shams Charania of The Athletic. The report stated that the Nets and the point guard’s negotiations have come to an ‘impasse’ with Brooklyn being unwilling to sign the star to a long-term deal.
The fallout from that report continues to filter out more and more and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. In each report, the feeling that Irving’s time with the Nets is nearing an end grows.
Prior to the NBA Draft, Shams Charania of The Athletic continued his reporting that Irving is expected to leave the Nets via a sign-and-trade.
On the Nets, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving:
Kyrie Irving Heat Rumors
One of the rumors that came in the fallout of the Irving news was that there is mutual interest between Irving and the Miami Heat.
Marc Stein was the first to report that the Heat franchise may be interested in the All-Star point guard.
“Miami is believed to have some level of interest in joining the chase for Irving — should the Nets reach the point of actively trying to trade him — and would figure to be a more legitimate landing spot than the teams initially mentioned, given the Heat’s various trade assets. While it certainly ranks as another strain on the imagination to try to picture Irving finding daily comfort in Pat Riley’s rigid South Beach operation, it’s likewise true that the Heat have never shied away from the starriest of stars or personalities painted as challenging.” Stein wrote on his substack.
On June 23, Irving’s interest in the Heat was confirmed as Miami was listed as one of six teams that the star would be interested in playing for if he and the Nets are unable to agree to a deal.
“ESPN Sources: If Kyrie Irving can’t reach an agreement to stay with Brooklyn, he has a list of teams he’d like them to consider on sign-and-trades, including Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Heat, Mavs, and 76ers. None of those teams have cap space to sign him without Nets’ help,” Wojnarowski tweeted.
However, Kyrie Irving isn’t the only Net that the Heat have been linked to around the Irving contract fallout.
Kevin Durant to the Heat?
Following the Kyrie Irving news, reports that Kevin Durant “is monitoring the Nets’ situation regarding the uncertainty surrounding the franchise, sources confirmed to The Athletic on Thursday,” Charania writes per “The Athletic”. “This decision now opens the path for Kyrie Irving to proceed on finding a new home via opt-in and trade.”
On the June 23 episode of ‘Undisputed,’ Shannon Sharpe speculated that perhaps Brooklyn’s star player could be traded to the Miami Heat.
Sharpe noted that Durant and Nets general manager Sean Marks have a good relationship, and the star would likely approach him to see how they plan to rebuild should Irving leave. Depending on how that answer goes could alter what Durant does.
“You know Pat Riley is looking to make a major splash. He’s always wanted Kevin Durant, Skip. Now he thought he had a good chance to get him a couple of years ago,” Sharpe said. “Don’t think he won’t spin the block one more time. …The question is what would he (Riley) be willing to give up in order to get him. I believe the only two players that would probably be off-limits is Jimmy and Bam. Because with Jimmy, Bam, and Kevin Durant, you have a potential of an arms race now.”
Now, as always with Skip and Shannon Sharpe, this speculation has a level of absurdity. So many things have to fall together for this to happen. It’s a fun idea but feels very unlikely.