Heat should make an effort to sign Durant?

1- What is it that is keeping the franchise awake at the moment?
The pursuit of excellence has been a constant in Pat Riley’s career, whether as a player, coach or manager. And many times he has succeeded. So it’s no wonder that, once again, the architect of the Miami Heat franchise wants to challenge the NBA world by signing new stars.

Perhaps not to take away his dream, but to redouble his efforts and add some to his team, the names of Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell echo in his mind every day. How can he convince them to join his culture? What is the maximum price he has to pay?

The first question has a simpler answer than the second. There isn’t a player who doesn’t want to go to Miami. But the remaining one is more complex: for sure, to bring either of the two figures he will try to avoid the departure of Bam Adebayo and that is an obstacle.

But more important is to see how he can get a third and even a fourth team to help him add the first-round draft picks that both Brooklyn and Utah crave. No easy task, but for a genius like Pat Riley, no move seems impossible.

2- What is the Heat’s biggest unfinished business?
Dominating the East… and becoming NBA champions.

The Heat fell one win short of reaching the NBA Finals last season and if they maintain their current roster, their win-loss forecast for the upcoming campaign will be 51-31 to rank third in the Conference behind the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks (last season they dominated the East with a 53-29 record).

Miami is in win-now mode and doesn’t have many opportunities left to do so.

For the moment, the Heat have had a quiet offseason and it seems their bet is to get Kevin Durant to make that little big jump they are missing to dominate the East and the NBA. Will they make it?

3- Should the Heat sacrifice Bam Adebayo to go after Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell?

Kevin Durant is a dangerous temptation for Pat Riley. Offering Adebayo would mean Brooklyn would have to take out Ben Simmons or include another team to get out from under his rookie max extension contract. That aside, it doesn’t seem like a good trade to get out of a 25-year-old averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds for an exceptional player, a future Hall of Famer but one who turns 34 and while under contract for the next four years gives no guarantee of staying in Miami beyond next season.

Mitchell seems a more viable option: a 26-year-old, great scorer but questionable defender, and while he’s no Kevin Durant, the trade option is much less complicated.

Both Durant and Mitchell are glamorous options, but the Heat must be clear that to improve their chances of contending for the title, Adebayo has to be in the mix.