Can The Miami Heat Reel In Kevin Durant?

With the Miami Heat out of the playoffs, it’s time for Heat fans to start looking to another favorite hot topic: free agency! Pat Riley mentioned that he would be interested in chasing a whale if one were out there, and what’s that over the starboard side?  It’s Kevin Durant!  But do the Heat have a realistic chance at catching Durant? All U Can Heat’s Wes Goldberg and Chris Posada put on their floaties and go out for a swim.

Wes Goldberg: With the Oklahoma City Thunder out of the playoffs, now we get to start irresponsibly speculating about where Kevin Durant is going to sign this off-season or, as I like to call it, Stephen A. Smithing. With how the season ended for the Thunder–letting a 3-1 series lead and NBA Finals birth slip through their hands–I’m sure it must sting for KD. I don’t know about you, Chris, but I wouldn’t say that Durant staying in OKC is a sure thing. It makes sense for him to stay given how the Thunder competed, beating a team that lost nine times in 82 games three times in seven, but the dude’s 27 years old. Maybe he just wants a change? Or maybe he doesn’t. The thing is, no one knows (I don’t even think Durant knows). That’s why speculating is irresponsible and pointless. So, with that said, why do you think Durant will sign with the Miami Heat?

Chris Posada: Because the weather is nice? I honestly don’t think he’s signing with the Heat. But if he does, it’s because of an amazing sell job by Pat Riley to convince him that Miami is the right choice. No state tax, rising cap, culture, history to make franchise-altering moves are all strengths Riley will lean on in his meeting with Durant. Playing on a team that was a Hassan Whiteside injury away from playing in the conference finals is also a plus, while having young and hungry kids that got their time in the spotlight can only enhance the Heat’s appeal.

But it likely won’t. Is he leaving for a better situation than what he has in Oklahoma City? Likely not. The Thunder were a win away against an all-time great team from the NBA Finals. Say what you want about how it ended, but there’s room for optimism there. Even if you parade the whole “East is easier than the West” narrative, they’re the second best team in the West. OKC would just have to get past Cleveland and Golden State to win the title, which is no different than where he would be in the East. You have to think he’s confident that they beat the Spurs once, they can do it again.

Is it financially reasonable? No. He can sign a two year deal, with an opt out after one, to take full advantage of the rising cap and having his Bird Rights in OKC. Leaving now would be leaving money on the table.

Maybe he doesn’t really know, though. But if the team is good, and the money is great, would he be leaving because of Russell Westbrook?

Goldberg: I feel that Durant likes playing with Westbrook, and Billy Donovan should get a lot of credit for making those two lead singers harmonize the way he did. He handed the offense to his point guard, allowing Westrbook to be Westbrook understanding full well that Westbrook being Westbrook still leads to an incredibly efficient performance by Durant. I think Durant likes being the efficient sniper next to the spray-and-pray Russ. It works, and with Donovan staggering their minutes they still get their solos.

In fact, the only way I see Durant leaving–this year or next–is if Russ makes it clear he’s leaving (which I also don’t see happening).

Look, right now it doesn’t make sense for KD to leave the Thunder. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen though, and we should at least think about what that alternative reality would look like. If Durant leaves OKC, it’s been rumored that he would sign with the Warriors or Spurs. But given that the Thunder played so well and still came up short, don’t you think that playing in the Eastern Conference should be considered a more serious factor in his decision?

Posada: I mean, if he has options available with the Spurs or Warriors, why bother with the East? Either of those teams with him likely rules the NBA for the next few seasons. I just don’t think there’s a team in the East that’s going to be in as good a spot as his current Thunder team.

But if we’re going to make the East an option, wouldn’t the team that makes the most sense be the Boston Celtics? Young team, young coach, plenty of cap space and LOADS of draft picks to send to teams down on their luck that are wasting a star away. Over/under on times Danny Ainge left drunken voicemails on Vlade Divac’s phone after the Celtics got the 3rd pick is seven and a half, right?

There’s a rumor (out of Boston, so take it with a grain of salt) that Durant’s people sent a list of names to the Celtics that would be of interest to him. Whether it’s true or not, if he chose to do just that with anyone and hoped it could get done, it’s with Boston, right?

Goldberg: If Durant signs with the Celtics, he has a lot more of LeBron James in him than we thought. That would mean he’s looking for an opportunity to craft his own roster and build what he believes is a team he could win a championship with.

That’s a pretty jarring thought, no? Given how Durant and LeBron have been painted as polar opposites. After all, LeBron had The Decision to announce he was signing with Miami, and a day later Durant tweeted that he signed an extension with the Thunder. This would be a major turn in Durant’s thinking and approach to his career. But, hey, he’s peaking at 27 and it’s time to win a championship. Maybe now is the time to make a change and take control.

Posada: So taking that a step further, if he would be interested in crafting his own team, like LeBron, would he choose to go to Miami, like LeBron? Or would he want to avoid following that parallel too closely?

Goldberg: LeBron signed in Miami because he had an opportunity–with both Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh–to craft a championship roster. The Heat were the destination because they cleared the books.

The Celtics have more assets and more room to wiggle than the Heat do–especially if you believe that Hassan Whiteside is the team’s top priority–with Miami already committed to max-level deals for Chris Bosh and Goran Dragic. In that way, signing with the Celtics would resemble what LeBron did more than signing with the Heat.

I think Riley’s best chance at luring Durant to Miami is in 2017. At that point, Bosh could come off the books (unfortunately due to illness and a forced retirement) clearing enough space to add another star. It’s an uncomfortable thing to think about, but that’s part of the job for Pat Riley and the rest of that front office.