The Miami Heat have continued to maintain their aggressiveness towards a potential offseason trade to land the Phoenix Suns‘ Kevin Durant.
The Heat recently joined the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves as Durant’s most likely destinations, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
As this never-ending trade saga continues, the Heat’s team president Pat Riley will use the next few weeks, or months, to put together the most enticing trade package possible to get the Suns to shake hands on a Durant deal.
One signature piece of this puzzle could be the Heat’s 2025 All-Rookie Second Team selection center Kel’el Ware, and new updates from the Locked on Heat podcast have indicated that the team has grown hesitant to throw the promising big into any negotiations.
“As we’ve reported on the podcast multiple times over the last few weeks, the Heat are reluctant to include Kel’el Ware in a Durant trade,” the Locked on Heat podcast’s X account shared Thursday afternoon.
Despite the franchise appearing to greatly value their No. 15 overall pick from the 2024 NBA Draft, it’s plausible to believe that they could eventually throw him into a future trade.
“Doesn’t mean they won’t, doesn’t mean they will. Sliding scale when it comes to how many young players/picks are in a package.”
After a sensational rookie campaign in 2024-25, Ware certainly increased his trade stock for this summer.
The lanky and athletic two-way big man contributed 9.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 64 appearances for the Heat this past season, and the 7-footer clearly displayed his potential to become one of the league’s most versatile frontcourt stars.
While the 21-year-old could blossom into a fantastic center for a competitive team, dealing for Durant in the present is still a tempting opportunity that Riley might not allow to slip through his fingers.
Durant’s 17th NBA season saw the future Hall of Fame inductee and 15-time All-Star average 26.6 points on a sensational 64.2% true shooting percentage in 62 contests.
At the end of the day, it seems as though Ware may be safe from trade rumors this summer. Even still, a player of Durant’s caliber could require just about every talented prospect that the Heat can offer.
