Heat trade proposal lands Kevin Durant from Suns this offseason

Kevin Durant is one of the biggest players on the watch list, as chances are good that he’s on the move once the offseason starts. With the Phoenix Suns expected to miss out on the playoffs and the front office placing his name at the trade deadline, it’s a safe bet that his days as a Sun are numbered. In fact, several teams have lined up to acquire the services of the two-time NBA champion.

One of those teams that can be a new home for Durant is the Miami Heat. It wasn’t long ago when the Heat decided to part ways with their disgruntled superstar. Without an official face of the franchise, Durant could easily fill that void and elevate the squad from a borderline Play-In team into a legitimate championship contender.

Miami Heat’s trade proposal for Kevin Durant

Heat receive: Kevin Durant

Suns receive: Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., 2027 First Round Draft Pick, 2029 First Round Draft Pick, 2031 First Round Draft Pick

The departure of Jimmy Butler at this year’s trade deadline leaves the Miami Heat without a certified superstar. Although the team has the option to continue developing Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro into superstars, the availability of a superstar like Durant is tempting at best. More importantly, the Heat have sufficient assets to get a deal done.

Miami can construct a package with one-time All-Star Andrew Wiggins, sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, and promising youngster Jaime Jaquez Jr. They can also throw in three first-round draft picks to spice up the deal. This is a package that would fulfill the requirements of the Suns to swap out for the two-time NBA Finals MVP.

It’s only natural that Durant will be looking to play for a team that will contend for a title. Obviously, the Heat can support him with rising center Bam Adebayo and former NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner Tyler Herro. Joining a gritty and hungry Heat squad should put him in a good position to end his title drought.

A good buffer for life after Jimmy Butler

There’s no question that the first half of the Heat’s 2024-25 season was marred by the Butler saga. Without him, it took some time for Miami to march on. Right now, the Heat are looking like a solid Play-In Tournament team, as they sit in the 10th seed with a 36-44 record. However, if they want to take their game to the next level while maximizing the rise of Adebayo and Herro, the addition of Durant would be a good option.

Durant would certainly be a better upgrade compared to Wiggins at the starting forward position. In fact, his addition could easily fill the void left by Butler as the team’s go-to shot-creator. His lethal shooting and efficiency will certainly make life easier for coach Erik Spoelstra to manufacture some offensive plays.

With a superstar like Durant, the Heat can get a few years out of the elite scorer. This should be enough to give the franchise a buffer period before fully committing to handing the keys to the franchise to rising players Adebayo and Herro. Although these two rising stars have quickly established themselves in the league, they’re still a few years away from fully carrying the full load of the franchise on their shoulders.

Future of the Phoenix Suns

Should the Suns deal with the Heat, they will not only gain flexibility but also get the chance to replenish their depleted draft capital. Those three first round draft picks will be key to building towards the future. In addition to this, Jaquez Jr. will probably be the biggest prize of the package for Phoenix.

It hasn’t been a smooth season for the Heat sophomore. Jaquez Jr. has taken a bit of a step back, averaging only 8.1 points per game. Furthermore, it also didn’t help that he drew unnecessary drama surrounding cheating allegations involving Spoelstra’s ex-wife, Nikki. However, sophomore slumps are quite common among young players. As a result, Phoenix should be willing to invest in a talent like him as one of their future building blocks.

Furthermore, having Wiggins could make life easier for the Suns as they try to fill Durant’s absence. On the other hand, it’d be interesting to see how Phoenix will regulate its surplus of shooters. Possibly parading Robinson, Beal, and Booker would make life hard for opposing perimeter defenses. Their lethal three-point shooting, when it gets going, would be a nightmare for any opponent to cover.