Miami is disinclined to offer Bam Adebayo, according to a report.
Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reported Tuesday that the Brooklyn Nets have “displayed little interest” in the Miami Heat’s offer for Kevin Durant, and Miami is “moving ahead with its current roster for next season.” They also reported that the Heat have not included Bam Adebayo in offers for Durant and that they are disinclined to do so.
NEW from @Anthony_Chiang and me: Heat looking ahead, remains disinclined to trade Adebayo for Durant, per sources. Where things stand and Heat’s position on this roster: https://t.co/RyvOAov3jp
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) July 26, 2022
The Heat, of course, could not trade Adebayo to the Nets unless Brooklyn trades Ben Simmons back to Miami or to another team. NBA rules prohibit teams from having two players via trade who were signed to Designated Rookie Extension deals. Both Simmons and Adebayo signed that contract with the team that drafted them.
Jackson and Chiang left the door open for a revival of trade talks, though. They said the Heat could revisit discussions about Durant “if it becomes a more realistic option down the road.”
Does this story mean that the talks are done for now? Earlier this month, Jackson reported that the Heat could explore a trade for Jae Crowder or Harrison Barnes if a Durant trade doesn’t materialize. Doing that would essentially replace P.J. Tucker with Crowder or Barnes and keep the rest of Miami’s playoff rotation more or less intact.
Or did the Heat leak this story to persuade the Nets to lower their asking price for Durant? As training camp nears, the pressure will build on Brooklyn to find a resolution to the Durant saga.