Report: Miami Heat Expected To Pursue Kevin Durant In Offseason

The Miami Heat have been able to land big-name superstars over the past few decades.

Now, Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant may soon be added to the list.

The Suns are having a rough season. Many in league circles expect the Suns to part with Durant this coming offseason with the team sitting at 29-33, even outside the Play-In Tournament.

The teams expected to pursue Durant this summer are the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers according to Ashish Mathur of HoopsWire.

The Suns reportedly shopped Durant prior to this season's trade deadline. However, Durant did not want to be traded midseason like he did in 2023 while with the Brooklyn Nets.

The Heat just experienced their own situation with a superstar being traded after shipping Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 5. There were reports stating the Warriors were prioritizing the idea of re-acquiring Durant instead of fully pursuing Butler. However, after Durant publicly rejected a trade to return to Golden State, the Warriors made the play for Butler.

Even at 36 years old, Durant is playing high-level basketball. He is averaging 26.9 points, six rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 52 percent from the field.

"Durant doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract, but he and the Suns are expected to work together on a trade so he can land somewhere he wants to be," Mathur added.

If the Heat can land Durant, a trio of him, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo could catapult the team as favorites in the Eastern Conference.

REPORT: MAVS PURSUED BUTLER PRIOR TO DEADLINE

The Dallas Mavericks are one of the more polarizing teams in basketball at the moment.

The NBA and its fanbase continued to be puzzled by the franchise's decision to trade young superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis prior to last month's trade deadline.

However, prior to the blockbuster trade involving Doncic, the Mavericks were reportedly interested in acquiring the Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

"Before the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic in a blockbuster deal to acquire Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick, the team also expressed interest in Jimmy Butler and Kyle Kuzma, league sources told HoopsHype," Scotto reported.

The Mavericks were one of a few teams Butler initially preferred as a destination.

Scotto later added, "PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford briefly came up in trade talks for Butler, but exploratory discussions didn’t go far, league sources told HoopsHype. At the time, Miami sought starting-caliber players on short-term deals who could help the Heat compete this season while giving them financial flexibility for the future as part of a trade package for the disgruntled Butler.”

Butler requested a contract extension last summer. Heat president Pat Riley denied the extension, leading to a falling out between the two. Butler's age made it difficult for Riley and the Heat to commit to more seasons. Butler has a player option this offseason but all signs pointed to him declining that option and entering free agency if not moved prior to the deadline.

Butler would end up being shipped to the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 5 in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and a future protected first-round draft pick.

CAN JAQUEZ GET BACK ON TRACK?

Jaime Jaquez Jr. is experiencing what many would call a "sophomore slump".

The 2023 first-round pick made an immediate impact during his rookie season, paving his way to being named as a member of the 2024 NBA All-Rookie First Team. He also helped lead the Heat to the playoffs behind his 49 percent shooting from the field.

This season, Jaquez is seeing a decrease in efficiency. He is averaging nine points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 44 percent from the field and 30 percent from three-point range.

Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report believes the young forward will get back on track as the Heat fight for a playoff spot.

"Jaquez finished fourth in Rookie of the Year and ninth in Sixth Man voting last season, but he’s seen his role and production shrink dramatically as a sophomore," Hughes wrote. "No longer a starter and struggling mightily to score from the perimeter, the rugged forward has actually made gains elsewhere: His assist, rebound and steal rates are all well ahead of where they were a year ago."

Jaquez could see an increase in playing time following the injury to Nikola Jovic. Last week, Jovic fractured the second metacarpal of his right hand. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks prior to the end of the regular season.

Hughes later added, "For Jaquez, everything comes down to his scoring efficiency. In good news on that front, he hit 41.4 percent of his threes in January and has canned at least 75 percent of his foul shots in every month since November."

Jaquez has been an impressive player throughout his short tenure with the Miami Heat. If the Heat want to make a strong playoff push this season, he will need to be more efficient on the scoring end.

Sean Jordan is a contributor to Miami Heat On Sports Illustrated. He can be reached at sjorda06@syr.edu.

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