Kevin Durant may be wearing Houston Rockets colors now, but his name continues to be tied to the Miami Heat.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that Durant “will forever be a Heat possibility if he makes it to free agency,” noting the organization’s long-standing admiration for the two-time champion.
Miami had a chance to land Durant this past summer when Phoenix explored trade offers. However, internal disagreements about which young players to include led the Heat to step back from serious talks.
According to Jackson, Miami declined to part with rookie big man Kel’el Ware or forward Nikola Jovic along with a first-round pick swap. The Suns ultimately found a deal elsewhere, sending Durant to Houston in a seven-team trade.
The Rockets gave up Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and multiple future assets to secure Durant, who is eligible for a two-year, $118 million extension. While Houston is expected to pursue a long-term deal, Miami is considered a franchise that could loom if negotiations stall.
Durant, 36, remains one of the NBA’s most prolific scorers. He surpassed 30,000 career points in February and joined LeBron James as the only players to drop 40 or more against all 30 franchises.
Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 62 games last season with Phoenix, though his campaign was cut short by an ankle injury. The Suns fell out of playoff contention without him, a slide that set the stage for the blockbuster deal.
For the Heat, Durant represents both a missed opportunity and a potential future target. Miami has pursued elite forwards throughout the Jimmy Butler era but has yet to land a player of Durant’s caliber.
