For the fourth time in a decade, the Heat fell short in an attempt to land 15-time All Star Kevin Durant, and the reasons for that became clearer on Sunday evening.
According to a source with direct knowledge, the Heat not only declined to offer center Kel’el Ware, but also did not offer forward Nikola Jovic to Phoenix in final discussions between the team before Suns shipped Durant to Houston on Sunday.
Also, the source said that Miami was never willing to offer more than one first-round pick.
The Heat’s final offer included Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier, two bench players and the 20th pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft. Haywood Highsmith and Jaime Jaquez Jr. were discussed as those two additional pieces in Miami’s offer, the source said.
In order for Miami to make the deal cap compliant and offer the Suns more than only Wiggins, Rozier and the 20th pick, Miami was willing to take on the salary of an unnamed Suns player, according to an Eastern Conference source.
NBA reporter Marc Stein said earlier this week that the Heat had interest in Suns wing Cody Martin.
But Phoenix ultimately wasn’t tempted by a package of Wiggins, Rozier, Jaquez, Highsmith and the 20th pick.
The Heat presented other permutations but did not want to offer Ware and was very reluctant to include Jovic or additional draft inventory.
Instead, the Suns accepted Houston’s offer of wings Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 overall pick in Wednesday’s draft and five second-round picks. Miami’s offer wasn’t considered to be competitive with Houston’s, according to an Eastern Conference source in touch with the Suns.
Ultimately, Miami declined to offer Ware, the second-year center who finished in the top 20 in the league last season in both rebounds and blocks per 36 minutes. He averaged 9.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in 64 appearances (36 starts) as a rookie last season.
Miami also did not want to part with Jovic, who averaged 10.7 points and 3.9 rebounds in his third NBA season.
The Heat could have offered as many as two first-round picks if the trade had been made and announced before the NBA Draft and as many as three if the trade had been agreed to, but not finalized, until after the draft.
But the Heat offered only the 20th pick and declined to dangle its first-round pick in 2030 or 2031. Miami’s first-round picks in 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029 are off limits due to terms of the 2024 Rozier trade that will send a lottery-protected first round pick to Charlotte in 2027 or otherwise, an unprotected first-round pick in 2028.
Miami is permitted to trade the 20th pick in Wednesday’s draft, and that’s an option the team might consider. The Heat’s first-round pick in 2032 becomes eligible to be traded after Thursday.
The Heat has two second-round picks in the next seven drafts, but no second-round pick in this week’s draft.
Though the Suns could have received relief against the luxury tax and punitive second apron by trading for Heat wing Duncan Robinson and then waiving him before July 8, that wasn’t something Phoenix pursued.
For Robinson to be trade eligible, he would need to officially opt into his $19.9 million salary for next season by next Saturday’s deadline. That is considered a formality.
After he opts in, the Heat could have included Robinson in a trade, and the Suns could have cut him and paid only the $9.9 million guaranteed portion of his salary by the July 8 deadline.
But the Suns -- still trying to win – prioritized trying to maximize Durant as an asset over any tax relief. In fact, the Houston deal took Phoenix deeper into the second apron, the most punitive threshold of the NBA’s tax system.
Durant is still an offensive force; he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 52.7% from the field and 43% on six three-point attempts per game this past season for Suns in his 17th NBA season.
But the Heat declined to offer more for Durant because of his age (he turns 37 in September) and because of concern about injuries for older players.
Miami philosophically does not believe in opening its full cupboard of assets for a player of an advanced age.
This marked at least the fourth time that Miami has attempted to add Durant to its roster over the past decade. The Heat tried to land Durant in free agency during the 2016 offseason (he ended up signing with the Golden State Warriors), then tried to acquire him in 2022 (when he requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets and then ended up being traded to the Suns), and then made an offer for him this past season ahead of the February trade deadline (the Suns ended up keeping Durant for the rest of the season) before again pursuing him this offseason but again coming up empty.
Instead, the Heat will now focus on other potential upgrades; the team has said roster changes are necessary after finishing 37-45 last season and being swept in a lopsided first-round series against Cleveland.
Two players who have been linked to Miami in published reports – Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (who is said to be available) and Golden State impending restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga - had not been the focus of Heat discussions as of Sunday afternoon, two sources said.
DeRozan is due $24.5 million next season and $25.7 million in 2026-27, with only $10 million of that guaranteed.
This story was originally published June 22, 2025 at 7:58 PM.