With the end of the 2025 NBA Playoffs near, the Miami Heat have been linked to numerous star players in rumors, and Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant may be the high-quality player who’s been in the most rumblings related to Miami lately.
At least one former Heat player likes Miami as a landing spot for Durant. Veteran forward Markieff Morris, who played for the Heat when the team reached the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, said that Durant could flourish with the franchise.
Markieff Morris wants to see KD in Miami
“Little time I spent in MIA, that’s the best brand of basketball I’ve been apart of. Spo does a great job of getting best out of guys. I think that’s perfect spot for him.. I think he can flourish there”
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Morris played for the Heat for just one season, averaging 7.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per game across 17 appearances and one start with the team in the 2021-22 regular season. He also saw action in one game during Miami’s deep run in the 2022 NBA Playoffs, which came to an end at the hands of the Boston Celtics.
Acquiring one of the greatest scorers the NBA has ever seen would make a lot of sense for a Heat team that has yet to truly recover from trading away an offensive player of Jimmy Butler’s caliber. Butler was dealt to the Golden State Warriors before the trade deadline following a messy final few weeks in a Heat uniform.
The Heat should be aware of Durant’s contract situation before making a move for him, though. Durant has just one year left on his current deal, as he’s set to hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2026 after he gets paid nearly $55 million in the 2025-26 campaign. Fortunately, reports have indicated that Durant would extend with the Heat if he were traded to Miami.
Durant doesn’t stand out as a player the Heat can build around for years to come, but it’s not because he isn’t talented enough. Rather, he’s getting up there in age and likely has only so many more productive seasons left in the tank at the ripe NBA age of 36. Still, he would immediately make Miami more relevant in the East, which would bring some excitement back to Heat basketball.
