The Kevin Durant trade sweepstakes are still going. Ever since the star forward requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, the NBA world has anxiously awaited news on where he will end up. The Miami Heat are among the teams leading the pack for his services.
The Heat are one of the teams Durant would reportedly like to be traded to, and unlike some of the other teams he is interested in joining, Miami has the assets to make a move for Durant. That begs this question: Why haven't the Heat already given the Nets what they want?
The real reason for the Heat's trepidition appears to be Durant's price tag. The Nets are looking for a king's ransom when it comes to a deal for Durant, causing teams to scoff at Brooklyn's asking price. According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Heat appear to be weighing whether or not they can surround Durant and Jimmy Butler with a suitable team if they pull off a deal for him:
Article Continues BelowMiami has been unwilling to propose a trade for Durant that satisfies the Nets' asking price because of the difficulty of the Heat also retaining adequate support around Durant and Jimmy Butler, sources said.
Acquiring Durant is obviously going to take a mammoth trade package, and it may ultimately sap the Heat, or any team that deals for him, of the rest of the talent on their roster. Will that be enough to win a title?
That's the question the Heat are facing right now, and it's why the proceedings for Durant are taking so long. Durant is obviously very good, but is he worth the asking price the Nets have for him? How the Heat answer that question will determine whether or not Durant is playing in Miami next season.