Heat Aiming To Land More Picks To Acquire Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell

Right now, it appears the Heat are dead set on acquiring either Nets star Kevin Durant or Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, but they may not have the goods. Or more precisely, the draft picks.

As relayed by Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, Miami is looking for a way to land more of those picks in order to help facilitate a deal — either with Brooklyn or Utah.

But doing so can be complicated, of course.

As it stands, the Heat can trade two of their own first-rounders, though could potentially make it three if they are able to convince the Thunder “to change the protections on their 2025 first-round pick (that pick is currently lottery protected, if it doesn’t convey the first year it is unprotected in 2026),” per Kurt Helin of NBC Sports.

The Heat are also believed to be floating reigning Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson as trade assets to both the Nets and Jazz. Herro, for what it’s worth, has implied he would like to be a starter. In many places, he would be.

But neither the Jazz nor Nets are real big on a Herro and Robinson package, perhaps because Herro is eligible for a contract extension and is likely seeking the maximum.

“In the case of Durant, the Nets want an All-Star and the buzz from league sources is they are lukewarm on a Herro and Robinson package, even with more picks,” Helin wrote.

Still, Heat president Pat Riley has a way of finding workable deals and landing stars, so most around the league will tell you that somehow, someway the Heat will wind up with either Durant or Mitchell. It just may take some time and without a doubt, some more picks.