Oct 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley addresses the crowd during the Pat Riley Court dedication ceremony at halftime at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Miami Heat Encouraged To Avoid Likes Of Kevin Durant, Trae Young This Offseason

Originally posted on Miami Heat on SI | By Jayden Armant | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 1:16 PM ET

The Miami Heat enter the offseason in a difficult spot.

Not good enough to compete but not bad enough to start over. While some trade rumors suggest the Heat going all-in for a superstar like Kevin Durant or Trae Young, others propose they acquire solid complementary players to keep them afloat next season. Bleacher Report's Dan Favale suggested Miami remain calm this offseason to gear up for 2026.

The article wrote:

"Not only is next year's free-agency class deeper, but the Heat will also have more draft-pick equity at their disposal to trade. They need to view the 2026 offseason as their inflection point—the moment they strike or altogether shift course. Sticking to this plan shouldn't take much willpower. Miami controls its own first-rounder next June, so if cap-space conservation comes at the expense of performance, a lottery prospect awaits the team at the end of it all."

The Heat finished last season as the eighth seed (No. 10 before the play-in tournament) before their embarrassing sweep in the first round. Unfortunately, they don't boast the star power to trade for a high-level player without moving Bam Adebayo or Tyler Herro, which likely leaves them stagnated next season.

"We know the Pat Riley-led front office isn't one for the "R" word: Rebuild," Favale wrote. "That could prompt the Heat to do something drastic this summer. They shouldn't. This team is too far away and doesn't have the assets or opportunity to close the gap between it and the league's elite."