The Heat’s failed bid for Kevin Durant has finally come to light, revealing just what Miami was willing to give up for the superstar forward.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Heat offered Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier, Haywood Highsmith, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and their 2025 first-round pick (No. 20 overall) in exchange for Durant and Cody Martin.
The deal never materialized.
Instead, Durant was shipped to the Houston Rockets on July 6 as part of a massive seven-team trade involving Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Golden State, Los Angeles, and Minnesota.
Phoenix didn’t walk away empty-handed. The Suns received Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, plus 2025 draft picks they used on Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, and Koby Brea. They also picked up two future second-rounders in the deal.
Interestingly, ESPN’s Shams Charania previously reported that Miami had another option on the table. The Heat turned down a chance to send Jaquez, Highsmith, Nikola Jovic, the No. 20 pick, and “other draft assets” to Phoenix.
Keeping Jovic might have been a smart move. The young forward showed real promise last season, averaging career highs of 10.7 points and 2.8 assists in 25.1 minutes per game. He shot an impressive 45.6% from the field and 37.1% from three-point range.
After the trade was finalized, Durant took to social media to reflect on his time in Phoenix and express excitement about joining Houston.
“My time in Phoenix has come to an end. All these stops along the journey have really impacted me in a positive way,” Durant wrote. “Houston, Can’t Wait!”
But Durant’s future in Houston isn’t exactly set in stone.
The Rockets aren’t rushing to extend Durant this summer, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. They’re focusing instead on securing a rookie extension for Tari Eason before the October 21 deadline.
“There’s not a sense of urgency to get it done right now. The Rockets have other business that they need to handle this summer,” MacMahon reported last Wednesday.
Durant turns 37 next month and is set to earn $54.7 million in the 2025-26 season. That’s the final year of his four-year, $194.21 million contract signed with Brooklyn back in 2021.
If Houston does decide to extend Durant, it probably won’t be for the maximum two years and $122 million he’s eligible for.
The financial implications are significant. If Durant gets a two-year extension starting at $57.4 million and Eason also signs his rookie extension, the Rockets would cross into second-apron territory for the 2026-27 season, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Without an extension, Durant could walk after just one season in Houston.
“They didn’t push all their chips in; they were very patient as far as the pursuit of a trade for Kevin Durant,” MacMahon explained. “They waited until the price was at a value that they felt was comfortable for them.”
“Kevin Durant’s their best player, he’s not necessarily their priority. That’s not an insult to him, but their priority is making sure they have as long of a runway as possible while trying to cash in on this window that they created by getting Kevin Durant.”
