Report: Miami Heat To Make Strong Run at Kevin Durant in 2016
By Wes Goldberg
It’s no secret that Pat Riley and the Miami Heat are maintaining cap flexibility in 2016 with a specific target in mind. However, that target, Kevin Durant, will be in the cross hairs of many NBA teams.
Let’s first start out with what the Sun-Sentinel’s Ira Winderman told WQAM.
"“Could they make a move for [Kevin] Durant? Sure,” the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman said on the Alex Donno Show. “Is Pat Riley plotting in that direction? Absolutely. But I think it will take a certain degree of tearing up the roster also and that’s why I think for a team that has traded away all of its first-round picks basically beyond 2021 and has limited resources, that Hassan Whiteside also could be a trade chip. That if the NBA does go to small ball and if the Heat can be comfortable with Bosh and McRoberts, which I really want to see in the preseason, then there’s a chance instead of waiting to pay Hassan Whiteside I could see if the Heat make a move like that and sort of cut their ties there to Whiteside at the trading deadline that will be an absolute signal that Pat Riley’s going all-in for Kevin Durant.”"
As Zach Lowe writes in his feature on the Heat, Riley specialized in getting stars.
"One star changes everything, and Riley gets stars. Next summer, Miami could open up nearly $40 million in cap room, and as much as $45 million if it moves McRoberts for extra cap space. That’s a ton, but if Whiteside has even a solid season, it’s not enough to bring back both Whiteside and Wade while signing an outside star; the Heat will not have full Bird rights on Whiteside, meaning they will have to dip into cap space to re-sign him.Consider one example: Durant’s max salary for 2016-17 will be about $25 million, leaving $15 million or $20 million to split between Wade and Whiteside. That won’t do it, unless Wade takes a massive hometown discount. (By the way: Rail against the Durant rumor mill if you want, but you’re kidding yourselves if you don’t think Riley will set Miami up to make a run at him.)"
Lowe’s piece is a fascinatingly objective look on the Heat rife with pros and cons, excitement and concerns. What it all leads up to is this last bit, that basically says that no matter what happens this season, Riley and the Heat will try to find a way to add yet another star to this roster. Durant is numero uno on that list (and everyone else’s).
It shouldn’t be surprising that the Heat want Durant. The interesting piece here is, if you read between the lines of Lowe’s entire post, you get the sense that he’s hearing from multiple NBA sources outside of Miami that Riley will be in the mix for KD.
A lot of this has to do with what happens with Hassan Whiteside. Both Winderman and Lowe talk about how the Heat could decide to part with the young center as they make chase for Durant.
If that’s the case, you know that no one will take an eye off what the Heat do this season and next summer.