The Miami Heat were reported as a preferred landing spot for Kevin Durant when the superstar forward requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.
Well, the interest coming out of South Beach apparently is very much mutual. In fact, the Heat might want KD even more than the two-time NBA Finals MVP wants to join Jimmy Butler and company.
The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson on Monday pointed out that Miami general manager Andy Elisburg and Brooklyn GM Sean Marks were spotted talking in Las Vegas, the site of the NBA's summer league. Jackson issued a follow-up report on how the Heat are approaching their pursuit of Durant.
"Andy and Sean were chatting at their hotel," Jackson tweeted. "Heat determined to exhaust all options to acquire Durant before pursuing anything else significant. Donovan Mitchell obviously looms as an option, though he hasn't requested trade and Jazz isn't shopping him."
The Heat, who fell one win shy of reaching the 2022 NBA Finals, all but surely would become the odds-on favorites to win the Larry O'Brien Trophy next season if Durant were to hop on board. The problem for Miami is it probably can't put together a trade package strong enough to interest Brooklyn.
The fact of the matter is, only a handful of expected playoff contenders have the assets to realistically pull off a KD blockbuster. That's why it's not reckless to think Durant -- as well as Kyrie Irving -- will be wearing a Nets uniform come October.
