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The Miami Heat had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season. However, they came up short in the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics. The Heat have been active in trade talks this offseason, and the latest NBA rumors have linked them to a forward for the Atlanta Hawks.
In a recent episode of "The Lowe Post" podcast, Zach Lowe said the Heat and Hawks discussed a potential trade. Lowe said that Miami showed interest in acquiring John Collins. The negotiations were not serious, but could be revisited in the near future.
"There has been some Miami/John Collins chatter," Lowe said. "It's old. It might be months old. I don't think it was ever really serious at all. They might revisit that."
The Hawks have been trying to trade Collins this summer, with teams like the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers showing interest. Collins is entering the second year of his five-year, $125 million deal signed last summer. With Okenya Okungwu showing great upside last season, the Hawks are comfortable trading Collins.
Meanwhile, the Heat have been linked to bigger stars this offseason. Miami is one of Kevin Durant's preferred trade destinations. They are also among the teams interested in acquiring Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. The problem for the Heat is that both the Brooklyn Nets and Jazz are demanding a lot for their superstars.
The Heat recently lost P.J. Tucker to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. They would need to replace him at power forward. Internal options include Caleb Martin and Nikola Jovic, but adding Collins can help them move forward.
Can the Miami Heat acquire Kevin Durant?
The Miami Heat have been mentioned as a potential destination for Kevin Durant. Miami has a handful of assets and picks that could convince the Brooklyn Nets to part ways with Durant. Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro make sense for the Nets, but it cannot happen right now even if the Heat approve the deal.
According to CBS Sports, Adebayo cannot be traded to the Nets because of the presence of Ben Simmons. League rules do not allow for two designated rookie contract extensions on the same team. That means the path to Durant is harder for the Heat.
However, a Miami Herald report revealed that the Heat's front office is "disinclined" to include Adebayo in any trade involving Durant. One of the reason's why KD wanted to get traded to Miami is he wanted to play with Jimmy Butler and Adebayo.
It will continue to be a long summer for Durant and the Heat. KD can threaten to hold out, but he loves the game too much to do it. Meanwhile, the Heat will have to further improve their roster if they want to make it back to the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics have added key pieces, while the Milwaukee Bucks are expected to be fully healthy next season.
