The Miami Heat did not immediately fix their culture by trading Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. The Heat have gone 3-6 since the trade deadline on Feb. 6, and sit at the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference with a 28-30 record.
Unless Miami turns it around in March, the Play-In appears to be where the team is headed. The Heat are 4.5 games back from the No. 6 Detroit Pistons.
NBA Rumors: Miami Heat urged to trade for 15X All-Star
Kevin Pelton of ESPN has been unimpressed with a piece the Heat received in their trade for Butler, Andrew Wiggins. Pelton suggested Miami should attempt to trade for Kevin Durant to boost their chances of winning a title next season.
“The Heat might not expect to add anyone better in 2026 than Kevin Durant,” Pelton wrote. “If so, they should look to speed up the process — and avoid Durant being traded from Phoenix to a situation where he too would extend his contract — by acquiring him this summer.”
Finding a new home for Duncan Robinson?
Adding the 15-time All-Star would not be cheap, even if Durant will turn 37 in September. Pelton thinks Duncan Robinson would be a casualty in the Heat’s bid to land the two-time NBA champion.
“If Miami could find a taker for Duncan Robinson, whose $19.9 million salary would have to be fully guaranteed for matching purposes, a package built around Wiggins and either Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Nikola Jovic, plus draft picks, would save Phoenix about $20 million in 2025-26 salary,” Pelson wrote.
“Meanwhile, the Heat would have enough flexibility to re-sign restricted free agent Davion Mitchell and utilize their taxpayer midlevel exception to build around a core of Adebayo, Durant, Herro and standout rookie Kel’el Ware.”
Would Durant want to go to Miami?
Trading for Durant would make Miami a much better team. However, it doesn’t seem like the Heat would be a true contender to make the NBA Finals without another piece on the roster.
Durant is averaging 26.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game this season. Still, the Suns’ 28-32 record isn’t good enough right now to make the Play-in Tournament.
While this might excite some Heat fans, Pelton’s trade suggestion doesn’t seem like something Durant or Miami would (or should) attempt.
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