Report: Heat May Win Kevin Durant Trade Sweepstakes If They Offer Kel’el Ware To Suns

According to NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Miami Heat may win the Kevin Durant trade sweepstakes if they offer Kel’el Ware to the Phoenix Suns.

Durant is open to getting traded to the Heat, who are very interested in trading for the NBA legend. 

“It is the Heat that league personnel are signaling as the team with a better chance at a deal. Although the two sides are not right at the finish line yet in trade talks, one player can get them there,” Siegel wrote. “That would be Kel’el Ware, a rookie standout in Miami’s frontcourt who is a giant with his 7-foot-4 wingspan and two-way potential. If the Heat include Ware in a revamped package to what they have already offered, talks with the Suns will reach a whole new level, as he is the player Phoenix wants in discussions with Miami.

“This is why many around the league who spoke with ClutchPoints view the Heat as the team that can get over the finish line the easiest. To this point in negotiations, the Heat have not firmly offered Ware in a proposed package, sources told ClutchPoints. If Pat Riley and his front office don’t push more chips in to get Durant, a player Riley has wanted to bring to South Beach for years, they will be out, and the Suns will further their talks with the other teams interested.

“The framework of a potential Suns-Heat trade involving Durant would see Andrew Wiggins and Ware headline the outgoing assets from Miami. Whatever happens, the Suns have signaled that they want to move out of the tax aprons altogether, which is why multiple teams will be involved to help take on unwanted salary.”

The Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors have made offers to the Suns for Durant, who has one year left on his contract. 

Durant wants to play for the Heat, Spurs or Rockets, but he can’t control where he gets traded because he doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract. 

A two-time Finals MVP, Durant appeared in 62 games for the Suns this season. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 52.7% from the field, 43.0% from 3 and 83.9% from the foul line. 

Durant has career averages of 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.1 blocks in 1,123 NBA games. He won the 2014 MVP Award with the Oklahoma City Thunder and back-to-back titles and Finals MVPs with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. 

Durant, 36, hasn’t made it past the second round of the playoffs since leaving the Warriors.