Philadelphia 76ers Enter The Kevin Durant Chase
The Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns and have a new competitor for the services of Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant: the Philadelphia 76ers.
On August 6, a video surfaced of ex-teammates Durant and James Harden, who now plays for the 76ers, celebrating with Travis Scott after his first solo show since the Astroworld tragedy. The celebration led spectators to believe they could reunite since their friendship is patched up.
With the anticipation of Durant joining the 76ers, it could give the Heat more leverage to grab Kyrie Irving in the offseason.
An Eastern Conference executive told Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney the Heat and Los Angeles Lakers have recently emerged as potential teams to sign him.
“If they’re resigned to losing K.D., I don’t see why they would keep Kyrie in place, too,” the executive said. “You’d really have to get younger. They would have to look around and maybe revisit the Lakers stuff. The Heat, too, but the Lakers had a framework on a deal.”
Although it hasn’t been revealed what the Heat would have to give up to obtain Irving, signing him would be a huge upgrade for them. Last season, he averaged 27 points on 46 percent shooting from the field and 41 percent shooting from the 3-point line.
The only downside to this would be the huge amount of backcourt ball-handlers. Right now, the Heat have Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo, and Gabe Vincent as primary ball-handlers. The Heat would most likely have to give up one of those players in the trade if it happens.
Cory Nelson is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson
