The Boston Celtics might've just gentlemen's swept the Miami Heat into trading for Kevin Durant.
Hoops Habit's Cal Durrett believes a Durant-Bam Adebayo star pairing could be possible after the two share a Team USA roster this summer for the 2024 Olympics; something the team would've only considered after an early exit from the postseason. Of course, the Celtics gave them just that in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
Durrett believes the Heat and Phoenix Suns can strike a deal for Durant that capitalizes on the Jimmy Butler trade rumors.
"The Miami Heat have been looking for a third star for a while now and with Kevin Durant seemingly stuck on a mediocre team, he may soon want out," Durrett prefaced before saying, "Especially after spending the summer playing with Bam Adebayo, who is seen as the Heat's future. Would Adebayo try to recruit Durant during the Olympics, possibly pushing him to demand a trade?
"Maybe. The Heat don't have much in trade assets but could potentially muster up enough to land KD in that scenario and make Miami a contender once again. Or, with rumors of Jimmy Butler wanting a big contract extension, could he be traded for Durant? Stranger things have happened in the NBA and Team USA has been the time when stars have recruited one another."
Kevin Durant on the Heat would threaten the Boston Celtics' east supremacy
KD in a Heat uniform is a downright terrifying proposition. Miami was able to steal a game from the Cs without Butler and Terry Rozier in uniform. Imagining the fifth-leading scorer joining "Heat Culture" is truly "scary hours."
It's also not hard to imagine. Adebayo can end up playing a major role in Team USA winning the gold and LeBron James will also be in France. The "king" could tell KD firsthand just how impactful going to South Beach was on his career. Not that Durant forgets the 2012 Finals when LeBron's Heat gentlemen's swept KD's OKC Thunder.
Boston would still be the team to beat in the east in this scenario, but Miami would vault right behind them on the totem pole if the Heat landed Durant.
