For about a week, the smoke surrounding the Miami Heat pursuing a potential sign-and-trade deal for Jonathan Kuminga was overwhelming. However, over the last couple of days, that has changed pretty significantly. In fact, two trusted Heat reporters flat-out said that the Heat's interest in Kuminga had become overstated and out of hand.
Does that mean the Heat aren't interested in Kuminga? Absolutely not. At the same time, it's probably time fans stop photoshopping him into Heat jerseys and mocking him up in starting 5s. It was always a far-fetched idea for the Heat to strongly pursue Kuminga, especially if they wanted to retain any sort of financial flexibility heading into next summer.
But it's understandable how, after missing out on Kevin Durant, the fan base would get a bit overly excited about a new flashy player to pursue. At least for now, it'd be premature to measure their level of interest in Kuminga.
The Heat are in a difficult spot
That's because the Heat finds themselves in a tough spot. Do they spend on young talent? Do they play the long game and retain as much flexibility? How far are they willing to continue to tear down the roster?
All of these questions will likely be answered over the course of the next week, but none of them will be easy sells to the fan base. Unlike what has been the norm over the last few decades, the Heat are not in an enviable situation heading into the offseason.
In an ever-changing NBA, this front office is having to relearn how to build a winner. Short of the acquisition of Jimmy Butler in 2019, Miami has struggled mightily in doing so. This offseason is supposed to set the foundation for the future. Figuring out how to effectively do so won't be easy or simple.
What's the best path forward for the Heat?
To be perfectly honest, it's difficult to predict what the best course of action is for the Heat moving forward. Is there still a path to pursue Kuminga, especially if his free-agent market isn't exactly what he and the Golden State Warriors expected? Yes. Absolutely.
But if the Heat were to make a move for Kuminga, they'd have to be awfully sure he's going to be the star player he is seeking to get paid as. There's a very real chance the Heat must decide if they want ultimate flexibility heading into next summer, or if they want to take a gamble on a talented, yet flawed Kuminga. I guess there can be worse dilemmas for the franchise? But these certainly aren't the best either.
I'm sure there have been strong back-and-forths in the front office about these very questions. Which argument will prevail? Well, that's anyone's guess. Frankly, it's going to be difficult for the fan base to have faith in whatever decision wins out. At the same time, what other option do they have, other than to trust?