Miami Heat: Five back up options if Hassan Whiteside leaves

1. Kevin Durant

As if there was another obvious choice.

Whether this is a pipe dream or not, Kevin Durant is the very best option available on the open market. He’s a franchise-changing player and an unstoppable offensive force. When healthy and engaged, KD can also be a high-level defender when called upon.

If you’re judging by overall talent, Durant is the clear-cut no. 2 behind LeBron James, and his career numbers of 27.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists certainly back that up. Since came into the league out of the University of Texas, Durant has been among the league’s elite scorers, and all but secured his place as the NBA’s second-best player by taking home league MVP honors in 2014, when he averaged 32.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists.

Plagued by nagging foot injuries for much of the 2015 season, Durant would return this year without a step lost. In 72 games played, Durant was right back in his comfort zone, putting up averages of 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 50 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc.

There’s no doubt the Heat need a marksman from long-range and another player who can create shots for others as well as himself, and who better to do that than the most explosive all-around offensive weapon since Michael Jordan. After all, you can’t rely on Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh’s aging bodies forever, even with Wade looking spry and healthy this past season.

Bottom line, Durant is entering his prime and wants to win, and outside of Golden State or Oklahoma City, Miami is the best possible landing spot. It’s the eastern conference after all, where the only real threat is LeBron James and the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. What better way to get back to the Finals for the first time since 2012 than unite with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Goran Dragic.

Could you imagine Justice Winslow’s development on the offensive end with Durant in town? Scary thought.

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