The Miami Heat could put together a package for Kevin Durant that the Suns would accept, sending the forward to South Beach. Brian Windhorst said Phoenix wants a package comparable to the one it gave up to get Durant in 2023, which is too high an expectation, but the Heat could still pique the Suns' interest.
ESPN's Kevin Pelton created a three-team trade proposal with Brooklyn that would land Durant in Miami:
Pelton looped in the Nets to take Duncan Robinson's contract, with the Heat sending them picks to persuade them to do so. Along with Robinson, Miami would send Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Jovic, and Keshad Johnson out. Phoenix would acquire a young player with upside in Jovic and a veteran wing with championship experience in Wiggins. It'd put the Suns in a decent position post-KD, giving them a chance to be competitive in the NBA's premium conference.
Heat could put together a package for KD the Suns couldn't ignore
On Friday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that a Durant trade could happen in the next few days, with the Suns focusing on talks with the Heat, Rockets, and Timberwolves.
"The focus of the Suns' conversation has been on a few of the teams and here they are: the Houston Rockets, the Miami Heat, and the Minnesota Timberwolves."@ShamsCharania discusses the three teams in talks with acquiring Kevin Durant 👀 (via @PatMcAfeeShow) pic.twitter.com/X24C4o1Hvh
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 13, 2025
Miami's most significant hurdle to landing Durant is Houston. The Rockets have the assets to win over the Suns, but ESPN's Tim MacMahon previously reported that one of Houston's largest hesitations about a KD trade is his age. He'll turn 37 before next season starts, which is a reason for any team interested in Durant to be hesitant.
The Heat need a new star after trading Jimmy Butler to the Warriors in February. Miami finished with the tenth-best record in the East without Butler, winning two Play-In Tournament games to advance to the first round of the playoffs. The Heat's luck ended there, as the Cavaliers swept them in the first round.
Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury created ripple effects throughout the East that will be felt this offseason, as teams will try to go all-in to make what they hope will be a championship run. Perhaps this will be the summer when Miami finally wins the star trade sweepstakes.
Durant will have a say in where he goes because of his extension situation. His best chance to win another title before retiring will be in the East, giving the Heat an advantage. Trading for Durant would be a pretty risky move for Miami, especially if the package resembles the one above, but it could pay off in the end.