One Team Reportedly Keeping Tabs on Rockets' Kevin Durant

The NBA is a superstar-driven league. Every team wants one. Better yet, every team needs one.

Even teams that have established stars are seeking to add an additional superstar.

In some cases, like when the Houston Rockets traded for James Harden in 2012, teams are looking for the next big thing -- i.e. a player with superstar potential, who may not be able to show it because they're on the wrong team or in the wrong situation.

In most cases, however, teams are wanting to acquire a proven star, like when the Rockets added Durant this summer. Houston had been in search of a uber-talented scorer like Durant, dating back to the trade that sent James Harden, their second-best player of the last decade, to the Brooklyn Nets.

The Rockets were among several teams that were jockeying for Durant's services, unsurprisingly. The San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Minnesota Timberwolves were all seeking to add Durant.

Ultimately the Phoenix Suns settled on Houston's offer of Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and a 2025 lottery draft pick.

The Rockets will now have to agree to terms with Durant on a contract extension, as his deal ends at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. The latest buzz is that both sides are eager to get a deal done, and that Durant is willing to take a team-friendly deal, leaving money on the table for the team to have more salary cap flexibility.

However, if such a deal doesn't happen and Durant hits free agency next season (which he won't), he'll probably be the highest coveted free agent on the market.

In fact, the Heat -- one of the teams that missed out on Durant in this summers sweepstakes -- will take another swing at the future Hall of Famer, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

"Durant will forever be a Heat possibility if he makes it to free agency; the Heat always has held him in high regard."

Jackson noted that the hang-up for Miami was which players to include in a deal, as they didn't want to part with Kel'el Ware or Nikola Jovic.

Miami has made unsuccessful overtures to other superstars who were available in past years, such as Bradley Beal, prior to his trade to the Phoenix Suns, and Damian Lillard, prior to his trade to the Milwaukee Bucks.

They've been unsuccessful for one self-inflicted reason or another, on numerous occasions. Durant was no different.

To many, if a player of Durant's caliber is available for pennies on the dollar, adding him is a no-brainer. The Rockets, for example, weren't unwilling to part with a young player like Jalen Green, who has star potential and is still a very raw player.

Again, it's Kevin Durant.

The Heat will most likely not have a shot at Durant next summer, because the Rockets wouldn't have traded for him if they weren't going to extend him.,

It wouldn't have made sense for a one-year rental.

At least Heat executive Pat Riley can hang his hat on that.