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Q: I cannot understand how anyone that has watched this season and this playoffs thinks that a 37-year-old Kevin Durant is a good option for the Heat. I honestly cannot understand. – Manuel.
Q: Kevin Durant is a veteran Hall of Fame presence, something money can’t buy, especially for this team. When you need a tough go to bucket, he is the man. When you need a player to make the right basketball play and decision, he makes it. He spaces the floor with his size and will cause mismatches for Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. – David.
A: First, still uncertain is whether the Heat have the assets to compete on a potential Kevin Durant trade market. Plus, would there be a desire to offer the type of extension that Pat Riley bypassed when it came to Jimmy Butler? But if you put aside the age (which, admittedly, is a tough ask), you are talking about a player who averaged 26,6 points on .527, .430, .839 splits this past season, as well as 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Yes, he missed 20 games, but two seasons ago he missed only seven. From this perspective, it would come down to how much draft capital is required. If the Suns want the Heat’s No. 20 pick in June? Fine. A protected pick in the 2030s? At least consider. But more than that would be a point of consternation. Still, even now, about to turn 37, a player who very much could make the core stronger. Now, how much that would impact the standings is another question, making a trade potentially too costly to only wind up stuck in the middle. For now, though, there first has to be intel on whether Giannis Antetokounmpo could come available, in which case all assets should be held in abeyance. Similarly, even if a longshot, is getting a definitive read on Luka Doncic’s intentions on a possible Lakers extension.
Q: The picks given up in the past are coming back to haunt us. We see players like Mikal Bridges who went for five picks making huge impacts while the Heat have a Terry Rozier that will most likely require a pick to offload his contract. SMH.– R.J.
A: At this point, it is highly doubtful the Heat utilize a pick to offload Terry Rozier, considering they already sent out a pick to acquire him. Second, I’m not sure you can classify the pick due this year to the Thunder as “haunting” the Heat, considering it was sent out in return for the five years the Heat got from Jimmy Butler. But, as stated above with any Kevin Durant possibilities, pick prudence certainly does have to be part of any Heat transaction machinations going forward.
Q: Some fans can’t come to terms with it, but Jimmy Butler is a win-now player. The Heat, as much as the front office might want people to believe, are anything but a legit win-now team. I know they made the NBA Finals in 2023, but I don’t consider a team that barely makes the play-in a contender. – L.T.
A: Which certainly is a reasonable perspective. But if that is the perspective, then the Heat seemingly would have been better off getting more of a future payoff in the Jimmy Butler trade than a first-round pick that comes due this June and nothing otherwise when it comes to future assets. Andrew Wiggins is 30, Kyle Anderson turns 32 in September and Davion Mitchell could be gone in free agency.
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Q: Kevin Durant is a veteran Hall of Fame presence, something money can’t buy, especially for this team. When you need a tough go to bucket, he is the man. When you need a player to make the right basketball play and decision, he makes it. He spaces the floor with his size and will cause mismatches for Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. – David.
A: First, still uncertain is whether the Heat have the assets to compete on a potential Kevin Durant trade market. Plus, would there be a desire to offer the type of extension that Pat Riley bypassed when it came to Jimmy Butler? But if you put aside the age (which, admittedly, is a tough ask), you are talking about a player who averaged 26,6 points on .527, .430, .839 splits this past season, as well as 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Yes, he missed 20 games, but two seasons ago he missed only seven. From this perspective, it would come down to how much draft capital is required. If the Suns want the Heat’s No. 20 pick in June? Fine. A protected pick in the 2030s? At least consider. But more than that would be a point of consternation. Still, even now, about to turn 37, a player who very much could make the core stronger. Now, how much that would impact the standings is another question, making a trade potentially too costly to only wind up stuck in the middle. For now, though, there first has to be intel on whether Giannis Antetokounmpo could come available, in which case all assets should be held in abeyance. Similarly, even if a longshot, is getting a definitive read on Luka Doncic’s intentions on a possible Lakers extension.
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Q: The picks given up in the past are coming back to haunt us. We see players like Mikal Bridges who went for five picks making huge impacts while the Heat have a Terry Rozier that will most likely require a pick to offload his contract. SMH.– R.J.
A: At this point, it is highly doubtful the Heat utilize a pick to offload Terry Rozier, considering they already sent out a pick to acquire him. Second, I’m not sure you can classify the pick due this year to the Thunder as “haunting” the Heat, considering it was sent out in return for the five years the Heat got from Jimmy Butler. But, as stated above with any Kevin Durant possibilities, pick prudence certainly does have to be part of any Heat transaction machinations going forward.
Q: Some fans can’t come to terms with it, but Jimmy Butler is a win-now player. The Heat, as much as the front office might want people to believe, are anything but a legit win-now team. I know they made the NBA Finals in 2023, but I don’t consider a team that barely makes the play-in a contender. – L.T.
A: Which certainly is a reasonable perspective. But if that is the perspective, then the Heat seemingly would have been better off getting more of a future payoff in the Jimmy Butler trade than a first-round pick that comes due this June and nothing otherwise when it comes to future assets. Andrew Wiggins is 30, Kyle Anderson turns 32 in September and Davion Mitchell could be gone in free agency.
Continue reading...
