Brooklyn Nets Kevin Durant (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)
NBA Rumors: Could it be true that the Miami Heat didn’t pursue Kevin Durant aggressively?
Falling one game short of making the NBA Finals for the second time in three seasons, there aren’t many that would label this past season as a disappointment for the Miami Heat. Nevertheless, it did feel much like a missed opportunity.
And heading into the offseason, it was clear that the Heat needed to improve the roster. However, without much financial flexibility that was going to prove to be difficult. If any team or front office could pull it off, though, it was going to be Miami’s.
With a month before the start of training camp, it’s been tough sledding for the Heat
Waiting for a big move, it’s not exactly surprising. That’s been the Heat’s MO for the past couple of decades. However, a recent note from The Athletic’s Shams Charania (who was on the STUpodity podcast) throws a wrench in all that.
“The last time…the Heat called the Nets was right around Summer League or even maybe even before that. They never really aggressively pursued a deal because I think at the end of the day, they knew they would have had to gut multiple players.”
Assuming this report is true, and there’s no reason to doubt Shams, it adds an interesting layer to Miami’s offseason. It leads to more questions than answers regarding the Heat’s inactivity during the summer.
After watching PJ Tucker sign with the rival Philadelphia 76ers, it should add more criticism for the Heat’s front office. Falling one game short of the NBA Finals, the Heat shouldn’t have been one of the more inactive teams during the offseason, it should’ve been the opposite.
Look at what the Boston Celtics managed to pull off – they acquired Malcolm Brogdon after making the NBA Finals. They knew they couldn’t fall behind the rest of the Eastern Conference and they made sure they didn’t by continuing to add pieces to their Finals core.
Miami hasn’t. And didn’t.
Even though the Heat has a great track record in sustaining success, I don’t think it’s unfair to question Miami’s inactivity this offseason. And if it’s true that they were ultimately not aggressive in their pursuit of Durant, it only makes things much more confusing.
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