Miami Heat
It should be the furthest thing from a surprise to see the Miami Heat on the list as potential landing spots for Kevin Durant. Jimmy Butler may no longer be on the roster but that doesn't mean the Heat still isn't desperate to pursue stars. If one like KD were to become available during the offseason, I fully expect the Heat to be in the conversation, one way or another. In theory, KD would be a great fit for what the Heat needs. Next to Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, this is a team that desperately needs an elite wing.
Even as a soon-to-be 37-year-old, it's clear that KD would be a huge upgrade to the Heat. Whether Miami would be able to find a path toward a deal that wouldn't involve trading Herro or Bam is the big question. If they can do that, also without gutting their roster, there's a very realistic scenario in which Miami could emerge as a dark horse championship threat in the Eastern Conference next season.
If there's one thing that has become abundantly clear since the Heat has moved on from Jimmy, it's the fact that they desperately are missing star power. Herro has had a nice season and Bam has certainly shown signs of life after his terrible start to the year, but the Heat is the very definition of a mediocre team in the Eastern Conference right now. Adding a player like KD could go a long way in helping the Heat out of no man's land in the middle of the East standings.
From KD's perspective, there's also a path toward the Heat being on his short list of teams he'd be open to playing for. Miami was on his original list of preferred landing spots before he was ultimately traded from Brooklyn to Phoenix. If nothing else, it's certainly another interesting storyline to keep a close eye on as we inch closer and closer to the NBA offseason.