Kevin Durant's name is already a hot topic in the NBA as the former MVP prepares to be a free agent next summer. Durant has the option to leave Oklahoma City and head elsewhere in 2016 and every team in the league is eyeing his arrival. Durant has remained tight lipped about what he intends to do with free agency as the star has faced questions about his future for over a year now. Several teams geared their offseason moves around the potential Durant chase and the Miami Heat are one of them.
According to Zach Lowe of ESPN's Grantland, the Heat are expected to at least dip their toes in the Durant pool, but are not completely serious about the run for the free agent. Lowe reports the Heat have the opportunity to open up $40 million in salary cap space. Of course they will have to give Dwyane Wade and Hassan Whiteside new contracts with that money which eats into the Durant fund. A max contract for the start would be about $25 million as Lowe reports that leaves $15 to $20 million to split between Wade and Whiteside. That might not be enough unless Wade agrees to a hometown discount which is unlikely considering how this free agency run went.
For now, the Heat are focused on gaining as much financial flexibility as possible in the coming season. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Heat are still pushing a trade deal with Chris Andersen and Mario Chalmers. Right now, there is no interest in either player. The Heat have been linked to a deal for Jamal Crawford which would rid them of at least one of the two players, but that is still a long shot to get done. All signs point to both players starting the year on the roster.
The Heat will be an interesting team to watch this season. According to head coach Erik Spoelstra, the starting lineup needs some time together. Wade, Chris Bosh, Luol Deng, Goran Dragic and Whiteside will all get the nod in the starting five and the Heat's coach believes they will be successful over time, just not right away.
"It's not the kind of lineup where you can just throw it out there, and you know it will work," Spoelstra said, via Grantland.com. "It's going to take practice."
