The Miami Heat are still in the business of landing another star to add to their core. However, it’ll probably take giving up something of extreme value to them already.
With the price to do business with the Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell, reportedly, set around seven first-round picks, that seems a bit too high for what the return will be. Even in the Kevin Durant contest, the price for Miami Heat is one that is only enough if Bam Adebayo is included in the package.
Though you knew the cost would be high to land either the whole while, could anyone have imagined it could perhaps be that high in both scenarios? Possibly, but seeing it reported makes it real and altogether different.
With that, it leads to a very interesting question, are either Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell worth the price it’ll take to land them from their current teams? Well, that’s the question we answer today in All U Can Heat’s latest Miami Heat Roundtable.
My Take (@K_Said_Que)
It’s a very simple answer. If the price for Kevin Durant is only a package containing Bam Adebayo, then you pass on that deal.
With the reports indicating that to be the price of doing business, then you have to pass if you are the Miami Heat. Bam Adebayo means to much to the team and organization, from a foundational perspective, to even think about letting him go for a guy with less than five prime years left, one would imagine.
If you can get the Kevin Durant deal done for anything less than a package with Bam Adebayo included, you have to do that deal. In Donovan Mitchell’s case, you have to leave it be and that’s because you know the price will already be too high.
On top of the reported Knicks situation, you saw what they landed for Rudy Gobert. If that’s what they got for him, their ask for Mitchell was only going to be higher or more severe.
It’s basically good logic and common sense. So, when it comes to KD, anything outside of Bam is fair.
However, because you would have to gut your team as well for Mitchell, without the certainty that he can help you become a surefire championship contender, you don’t do that deal.
Miami Heat: Price worth it for Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell – Max’s Take
It’s becoming a bit restless following the Miami Heat because you would like to see them make a move. This is especially after watching rival teams improve their rosters.
Max’s Take (@maxmarshall136)
Having said that, when it comes to the two names in question, you can ask the same question for each. First, should Miami trade “everything” for Mitchell.
The simple answer is no. While you really like Mitchell’s game, you don’t give up all your assets to acquire him.
It may sound crazy to some, though it shouldn’t, but it not’s crazy to bank on Tyler Herro to make another leap going into year four. Herro has improved every year since he has been in the NBA.
Also, this is Victor Oladipo’s first healthy summer. Oladipo hasn’t had much time in the gym to work on his game due to injuries.
You should also expect Oladipo to be better this upcoming year. Can Herro and Oladipo give you 80 percent or more of Mitchell’s game?
There is a world where you can definitely see that happening. There is also this.
It might be smarter to invest those chips in something bigger. At the right price, you trade for Mitchell but you don’t overspend.
When it comes to Durant, you have to be willing to put all the chips on the table. You do everything in your power to keep Bam Adebayo in Miami with Jimmy Butler and Durant though.
When it comes to picks and young players on the team, you have to do be willing to move them for KD. The time is now for Miami to cash in if it’s for a megastar.
Whether or not Miami can actually land a trade for Durant is one thing, but he is the one you move it all for—if anyone at all.
Miami Heat: Price worth it for Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell – Noah’s Take
Donovan Mitchell would cost the Miami Heat a fortune. Kevin Durant could cost them even more.
Noah’s Take (@ndeckerbuckets)
Would it be worth giving up all of their assets, including future talent and picks? Absolutely.
That is a championship-winning type of move. However, it isn’t quite that simple.
Let’s start with Donovan Mitchell. He is already a very talented basketball player and a tremendous athlete.
Spida is one of the top fifteen players in the NBA. If you add a player like him to an established playoff core, he is the type of player who could get you over the hump with his explosive scoring ability.
The key to acquiring a player of Mitchell’s talent is that you have to keep the star players you already have.
The Heat would not benefit from losing Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo in order to trade for Mitchell.
Even Kyle Lowry is a bit of a stretch. However, trading away rising stars like Tyler Herro and a bunch of other young players doesn’t hurt them if they are acquiring a young superstar who will be relevant for years to come.
Kevin Durant is a different story. As long as you have a player of Durant’s caliber on your team, you are automatically a contender.
If an opportunity presents itself to acquire a generational talent like Durant, you should move heaven and earth to get him. KD would cost the Heat an arm and a leg, but if it wins them a championship, it is worth it.
With Durant, alone, the Heat would be contenders. If they can keep Butler and Bam, they should be the favorites to win it all.
The Heat should risk it all for Durant and Mitchell. As long as the team can stay healthy, Miami should be able to win a championship with the addition of either player.
Miami Heat: Price worth it for Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell – Colton’s Take
Half of the question is super easy to answer, despite what some Miami Heat fans may want to believe. With that said, anyone is on the table in the Kevin Durant conversation.
Colton’s Take (@CMoleskyNBC15)
Whoever you can sell to get KD and maintain the integrity of the team as a championship contender, you take the call. It’s Durant, the best scoring forward in the league’s history.
That’s the end of the conversation. But—pushing your chips into the center of the table for Donovan Mitchell is a bit more complex.
Mitchell is already an excellent scorer who has grown as a bucket-getter since his rookie year.
He also has a lot of postseason reps, with 39 playoff games under his belt.
Say what you will about the success of the postseason runs, but this is a man who averaged 36 points per game in the 2019-2020 NBA Playoffs. The ability to take over a playoff series is something special and valuable.
However, Mitchell’s usage rate is incredibly high, ranking sixth amongst players who played over 50 games. Miami ranked 8th in assists per game last season, compared to Utah Jazz’s 27th ranking.
Miami needs a guard willing to move the ball and flow with the offense, not wrestle for control of it. If the Heat make a move for Mitchell, overinvesting would be the fear.
The trade should involve, either, lots of picks or a really attractive piece, but not both.
Miami Heat: Price worth it for Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell – Will’s Take
The price for both Donovan Mitchell and Kevin Durant has those that follow the Miami Heat in a frenzy, debating on whether Miami should gut the team for either both of them, one of them, or just simply run it back.
Will’s Take (@crackseason)
To help give more level-headed thought to the topic, let’s get down to the fundamentals of it all. Should Miami go all in for either Mitchell or KD?
The answer is a resounding yes!
When discussing Mitchell, there are concerns on whether or not he can be a number one option for a championship team. The answer is probably no, but Jimmy Butler is a number one option and one that just needs another reliable scorer.
Mitchell can be just that. Tyler Herro would be the main target in this trade scenario and this may be tough to hear for Herro fans, but Herro just isn’t the guy that Mitchell is yet.
He’s improved every season and has loads of potential, but comparing what Herro and Mitchell bring to the table is night and day. Mitchell is a number one option for the Utah Jazz, night in and night out, and was able to average 26 points, five boards, and four assists for the season.
What really seals the deal on being all in on moving Tyler, is his pitiful 2022 playoff performance. Tyler was supposed to be the third-best player and second-best scorer for Miami but was turning the ball over at any show of a double team, while he also couldn’t hit a shot.
He couldn’t get to the rim and was completely out of rhythm. Butler needs help, scoring-wise, and it’s that simple.
Bam can score in spurts, but he’s not comfortable being that second scoring option yet. Getting Mitchell would allow Bam to play freely and with Mitchell’s presence, could open more lanes and avenues for Bam to score as well.
Both Tyler and Mitchell have their flaws on defense and who knows, Tyler could end up just as good as Mitchell. However, the sad and realistic truth is that you don’t have time with Butler’s window.
Donovan is proven, so Tyler and Donovan can be swapped. As far as gutting the roster for picks to send to Utah, you do it.
Yes, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus were vital pieces, but you have to know when to sell high.
Just look at Duncan Robinson. It was believed he had high value but after this past season, that might be gone.
Miami picked Vincent and Strus up off the streets, only to turn them into solid role players. If you can flip G-leaguers into Donovan Mitchell, you do it!
Another key component is that Mitchell and Adebayo will be your future now. You’ll never have to worry about a whale again until Jimmy either retires or leaves.
Once Jimmy is gone, Bam and Mitchell can go recruit another young player to join them. Both are close with a lot of other guys in the league, so it’s not hard to imagine those two recruiting.
As far as KD is concerned, you send the farm for him too. Yes, he’s 33 and has health questions, but who cares?
For a trio of Jimmy, Bam, and Durant, you do it! However, Edrice Femi Adebayo has to stay in Miami, no matter what.
If you trade Bam for KD, you can kiss a ring goodbye. The defense he brings is like none other in the league.
The whole point of trading for these guys is to form a Big 3. Top-tier duos don’t always deliver a championship.
Just look at the past couple of NBA champions. Jimmy and KD would be an awesome duo, but both have shown to be injury prone and certainly need minute restrictions.
Do you really want your dynamic duo to be a 33-year-old KD and 32-year-old Butler?
Miami needs to go all in for either, but also needs to remember their players’ value. Role players can fall off the face of the Earth after a great season.
If they have to go, they have to go. Guys like Jimmy and Bam are untouchable and are the building blocks.
For both players, the sentiment stands. You get the talent first, then worry about roster depth and everything else later.
If you’re really in win-now mode, you do whatever it takes.