Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Durant has officially requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets and the Miami Heat roster has the pieces to get a deal done.
Things have rapidly disintegrated in Brooklyn, with Kyrie Irving loudly exploring his options before deciding to opt-in to the final year of his contract, followed quickly by Kevin Durant officially requesting a trade. Pretty much every NBA team is likely kicking the tires and seeing if they have anything that would interest the Nets.
Any team chasing Durant won’t just have to put together a package that’s compelling to the Nets, they’ll also need to be able to stand above every other offer being made. For a team with a veteran-heavy roster and most of their future draft picks already owed to other teams, youth and draft capital are going to be at a premium.
What would the Brooklyn Nets want in a Kevin Durant trade from the Heat roster?
The youthful talent part of the trade package would have to start with Tyler Herro, who won last year’s Sixth Man of the Year and is in line for a significant contract extension. Someone like Duncan Robinson could be included to help with possible salary matching and he has some value. Miami could also include their first-round pick from this year — 19-year-old playmaking wing, Nikola Jovic.
But with established players like Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges also on the table, draft compensation may be the difference for Miami. A Durant deal, regardless of the team, is probably going to take something like three future first-round picks and a pair of pick swaps. The edge for Miami may be their aging roster. Having a 36-year-old Kyle Lowry, a 32-year-old Jimmy Butler and a 33-year-old Kevin Durant playing together gives the Heat a lot more potential to fall off quickly over the next couple of years. That reality may make their off of future first-round picks more valuable to the Nets than a similar package from Phoenix who will still have Devin Booker coming into his prime.