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Despite some saying that the Miami Heat had the “most enticing” offer for Kevin Durant, the active pursuit has come to an end as the star has been traded to the Houston Rockets. As the Heat look at fallback options after Durant, there have been reports talking about what the team offered the Phoenix Suns in a potential deal.
According to ClutchPoints' NBA insider Brett Siegel, Miami “had been unwilling” to include young star Kel'el Ware in any offer for Durant, which seemed to be the dealbreaker. Siegel would say that the team's “best offer” was highlighted by Andrew Wiggins and the 20th overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
“The Heat had been unwilling to surrender Kel'el Ware in trade talks for Kevin Durant, league sources confirmed to
@ClutchPoints,” Siegel wrote. “Their best offer stood with Andrew Wiggins and the 20th pick in this year's draft headlining the deal. Phoenix opted for the 10th pick package.”
ESPN's Shams Charania, who broke the news, would say the same about Ware and also mention other players that could have been in the deal, like Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami's 2023 first-round pick, or Haywood Highsmith. However, Miami “ultimately tuned down” the chance to put it all together.
“The Suns' conversations focused on the Rockets and Heat in recent days, but both teams showed an unwillingness to part with young cornerstones such as Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard (Houston) and Kel'el Ware (Miami) in a Durant deal, sources said,” Charania wrote. “The Heat made multiple offers for Durant but ultimately turned down the opportunity to place Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, Haywood Highsmith, the No. 20 pick and other draft assets all together in a deal, sources said.”
Heat's Kel'el Ware was a crucial part of trade talks for Kevin Durant
As the Heat's Ware could have been the game-changer for the Durant deal, the Suns took the package from the Rockets that gave them Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft, and five second-round picks. Looking at Ware, the Heat had not “firmly offered” the 2024 first-round pick in any package for Durant, according to Siegel.
“To this point in negotiations, the Heat have not firmly offered Ware in a proposed package,” Siegel reported. “If Pat Riley and his front office don't push more chips in to get Durant, a player Riley has wanted to bring to South Beach for years, they will be out, and the Suns will further their talks with the other teams interested.”
NBA insider Matt Moore would also report about Ware's involvement in the process the team had about Durant trade talks and said it would have gone a “long way” if he were involved.
“If the Heat are going to land any of the big fish, they want, including Kel’el Ware in the deal would go a long way,” Moore wrote. “They might be able to get the guy they want without including him, but it’s just a lot harder, and teams are always reluctant to do business with teams that don’t want to include their better assets and only want a sweetheart deal. This has sunk Miami before.”
At any rate, the Heat is looking to improve after finishing with a 37-45 record, which put them 10th in the Eastern Conference.
