Heat interested in Durant. Durant-Warriors reunion possibility is ‘dead,’ per ESPN
The Phoenix Suns would love to add Jimmy Butler and the Heat would love to add Kevin Durant.
The possibility of those players being exchanged for each other, in a multiplayer transaction, appeared to remain alive on Wednesday afternoon, less than 24 hours before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested Wednesday that he wasn’t sure if the Suns would accept a Heat package built around Butler in exchange for Durant, but nonetheless predicted that Durant will either be traded to the Heat or remain with Phoenix.
A source on Wednesday confirmed Heat interest in Durant.
Meanwhile, ESPN reported that Durant does not want to be traded back to Golden State, which pursued him in recent days, and that those discussions are “dead.” That seemingly could help the Heat’s odds of landing him, though Durant cannot veto any trade.
If the Heat and Suns cannot agree on a Butler-for-Durant transaction, Golden State could turn back to the Heat to acquire Butler in a trade that likely would include Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, expiring contracts and at least one draft pick. The Heat and Warriors have remained in contact about Butler, even though ESPN has reported that Butler won’t sign a contract extension with any team except Phoenix.
If the Suns “want Jimmy Butler, they’re going to have to trade Kevin Durant,” ESPN’s Bobby Marks said.
That’s because Phoenix has been unable to find a taker for Bradley Beal’s contract, which has two years and $110 million remaining and also features a no-trade clause. Miami remains opposed to acquiring Beal.
Durant — who does not have a no-trade clause — previously expressed interest in the Heat when he initially asked to be traded by Brooklyn. The Nets ultimately traded him in February 2023 to Phoenix, which became his preferred destination at the time.
Durant, 36, is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star, and the Heat has always coveted him.
He’s averaging 26.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 39 games, while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 39.8 percent on threes. He’s under contract for $51.2 million this season and $54.7 million next season.
Butler, who is serving his third Heat suspension (which runs through at least Wednesday’s game in Philadelphia), is making $48.7 million this season and has a player option for $52.4 million next season.
A trade is complicated because the Suns, as a team over the NBA’s second apron, cannot take back more money than they’re sending out or trade multiple players in any deal, unless a player on a veteran minimum contract is involved.
But a Durant/Butler trade would be somewhat easier to facilitate because the Suns have a trade exception acquired as a result of last month’s trade with Charlotte for Josh Okogie.
Because of that trade exception, Miami could trade Butler, Nikola Jovic or Jaime Jaquez Jr. and a first-round pick to Phoenix for Durant, even though the Suns would be taking in about $70,000 more than it’s sending out. Jovic can fit into that trade exception.
The Heat also can make two or three separate trades with Phoenix to facilitate a deal that sends Durant to Miami. As a hypothetical, Miami — within cap rules — could trade Butler, Josh Richardson (on a minimum deal) and a first round pick for Durant, and then do a separate trade that could hypothetically include other players.
Udonis Haslem — who is both a Heat executive and full-time ESPN analyst — said on ESPN’s “NBA Today” on Wednesday that Butler remains a needle-mover.
“I played 1-on-1 with Jimmy every day,” Haslem said. “He can help a team win and push a team to championship.”
Besides discussing trades for Durant and Butler, Golden State also has been linked to New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram and the Bulls’ Nik Vucevic.
This story was originally published February 5, 2025 at 3:52 PM.
