If the Miami Heat want to acquire Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, it will cost them.

Here's the rub — just when it seemed the Nets were in the clear after Kyrie Irving announced his op-in decision, Kevin Durant formally asks for a trade. Now, the Nets enter desperation mode. What once looked like a title-contending squad looks more like a house on fire.

To rub salt on the wound, KD not only said he wanted out. He also said that he wanted to join only two other teams — the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns.

Durant commands the most value of any player who can be moved right now in the league. He can be an absolute game-changer for the Heat while also potentially delivering a king's ransom for the Nets.

In this kind of situation, however, the Nets have the leverage. Don't expect them to send KD somewhere just because he wants to be there. Remember that just last summer, Durant agreed to a four-year deal with these same Nets, which means his contract is valid through 2026. That puts Brooklyn in a tight spot because it makes KD harder to move. Any potential deal would require the finest offer on the table.

If a deal cannot be done, though, KD probably sits while still getting paid a bag.

Durant may actually come out the villain here. Durant essentially admitted that he would rather play for any other team than the Nets. This is an ironic, if not disastrous, turn of the cards for the franchise. Keep in mind that Kyrie hardly held up his part of the bargain when this superteam was first formed. James Harden did the same thing when he was around for a season and a half.

In essence, this is exhibit A in the worst possible superteam scenario in the league.

Heat trade offer for Kevin Durant

But if a trade were to be done, how would it happen and who would be involved? Right now, it seems like the only sensible option for Miami would be to package Bam Adebayo plus active players and maybe picks for KD. That might technically be impossible in a straight swap between the two teams, though, as no two teams may carry two players with the designated rookie extension. Both Adebayo and Ben Simmons are in that boat.

This means that if the Nets really were to acquiesce, option one would be to move Simmons first before moving KD. Option two would be moving both Simmons and KD in a possible three-team trade, which would be bonkers.

Then again, who would want Simmons after all the drama he had last season? It really is quite the pickle these Nets are in. They have not one, not two, but three of the top players on the planet. They also happen to be three of the most drama-laden personalities in the sport.

Still, assuming the Nets do find a new spot for Simmons, what could the Heat offer to get the Slim Reaper? In my view, it would involve at the very least Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, two other players (maybe Duncan Robinson or Max Strus or rookie Nikola Jovic), and then one first-round pick. Again, that's at the very least, folks.

Another even crazier alternative is for the Heat to trade three active players not named Bam Adebayo packaged with at least three future first=round picks. Selling your future for KD sounds about right for how insane this whole situation has become.

Strangely enough, Durant may actually put the Heat closer to an NBA title. Jimmy Butler with KD would be a scary-as-heck offensive pairing, maybe even a world-beating one. We'll see if Pat Riley works his magic and gets this done.