Suns Eye 7-Foot Center From Kevin Durant’s Preferred Team: Report

As the Phoenix Suns continue to survey the trade landscape for Kevin Durant, there’s a chance they could net their center of the future in return.

One of Durant’s preferred teams, Miami Heat, have a promising center that could headline the return package for the 15-time All-Star.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Heat have a “swing” piece that can fix the Suns’ big hole in the middle.

“Miami’s ultimate willingness to surrender Kel’el Ware, given the Suns’ noted hole at center, could be the true swing factor in the Heat’s Durant pursuit. In February, it was clear: Sources say Miami was unwilling at the trade deadline to part with either of its recent first-round draft successes: Ware or Jaime Jacquez Jr. Could that change now after Miami fell so flat in the playoffs with its post-Butler roster?” Fischer wrote on “The Stein Line” Substack newsletter.

Getty Kel’el Ware was named as the “swing” piece for the Miami Heat in the Kevin Durant trade talks.

 

The 7-foot center is fresh off a promising rookie season. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 9.3 points on 55.4% shooting and 7.4 rebounds in 22.2 minutes.

The Suns have rotated career backup Nick Richards and last year’s second-round pick Oso Ighodaro at center this past season. Ware, the 15th overall pick in last year’s draft, has the highest upside among the three big men.

If Ware goes to Phoenix, the 21-year-old center has the chance to start.

Suns Looking For Best Offer

According to ESPN’s senior NBA writer Brian Windhorst, the Suns have a high asking price for Durant.

“From what I am told, the Suns are looking for a comparable package for what they traded Kevin Durant, which is impact players and multiple draft assets,” Windhorst said on “NBA Today” on June 11. “I’m not sure they are going to be able to generate that because Durant is a couple of years older and his contract is short.”

On top of Ware and Jaquez Jr., the Heat also have three tradable first-round picks (2030, 2032 and this year’s 20th first-round pick via Golden State from the Butler trade) and two second-round selections. They also have Andrew Wiggins, who fits the high-impact player the Suns have been looking for. The expiring salaries of Terry Rozier or Duncan Robinson could also help the Suns regain future financial flexibility to keep retooling around Devin Booker.

“The Heat’s offer, in the end, could even prove to be most enticing from the Suns’ perspective,” Fischer wrote.

Kevin Durant Wants To Go to South Beach

The Heat landed on Durant’s short list of preferred destinations along with the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets.

With the Texas teams reluctant to go all-in on Durant because of having a timeline different from Durant, the Heat are viewed as the frontrunners.

But the Suns have been looking for the best deal, and if the Heat are also unwilling to go the extra mile, there’s a chance they could lose the bidding war.

“The Suns have made clear to six-to-eight seriously interested teams that they will make the best deal for the franchise – even outside of his preferred list of Miami, San Antonio and Houston,” ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania wrote on X.