Miami Heat Rumors: Kevin Durant May Be Headed To The Heat
According to Zach Lowe of Grantland, the Miami Heat are expected to try to make a move in order to acquire, arguably, the biggest free agent of the 2016 offseason.
The Miami Heat will pursue Kevin Durant after his contract expires next summer. Durant is part of a talent filled 2016 free agent class, which features LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, among others.
While Kevin Durant going to the Miami Heat may seem like a long shot, Pat Riley is known for making the impossible the reality.
Lowe comments on the possibility of Durant playing for the Miami Heat in the 2016-2017 season: “Rail against the Durant rumor mill if you want, but you’re kidding yourselves if you don’t think Riley will set Miami up to make a run at him.”
Lowe also makes a point that Miami Heat’s salary cap situation is not ideal for a run at a superstar, like Durant. He writes: “Durant’s max salary for 2016-17 will be about $25 million, leaving $15 million or $20 million to split between Wade and Whiteside. That won’t do it, unless Wade takes a massive hometown discount.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhq0EAl9Pu4
At the moment, the Miami Heat are attempting to make as much room for themselves financially as possible. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Miami Heat are still pushing for a deal that would involve Mario Chalmers and/or Chris Andersen. Right now, there doesn’t seem to be much interest in either player around the league.
On the possibility of Andersen departing from Miami, Jackson writes: “Miami remains willing to dealing Chris Andersen (due $5 million) but hasn’t found much of a market for him, according to an NBA official who has been in contact with the Heat.”
The Miami Heat have been rumored to have interest in Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford. That deal would send either Andersen or Chalmers, if not both, to California, but that deal seems quite unlikely, at this point. Both Andersen and Chalmers will probably be on the Miami Heat’s roster when the season commences.
The Miami Heat are already an intriguing team without Durant. Imagine how entertaining they could be if they were to add another perennial All-Star.
Do you think the Miami Heat will make a transaction in order to acquire Kevin Durant during the 2016 offseason? If not, who do you think will land the former MVP forward? Finally, how good do you think the Miami Heat could be if they were to add Kevin Durant?
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