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Kevin Durant’s Free Agency Destination Power Rankings

By Gerald Bourguet

May 24, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) reacts during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game four of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
May 24, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) reacts during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game four of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 17, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh (1) handles the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

6. Miami Heat

If we’ve learned anything over the last few years (read: “decades”), it’s that you can never count out Pat Riley. Unfortunately for him and the Miami Heat, it’s hard to see how this team will be able to do much in free agency with so much of its roster in a state of flux this summer.

Hassan Whiteside is an unrestricted free agent, the Heat don’t own his Bird Rights (which would’ve allowed them to offer an extra year and more money on a contract) and Whiteside will not be swayed by loyalty to the organization that gave him the opportunity for his big breakthrough.

Dwyane Wade, the greatest player in the history of the franchise, is another unrestricted free agent and after earning $20 million last year, he probably won’t be taking a pay cut as the NBA’s salary rises to a projected $94 million.

Luol Deng, Joe Johnson, Udonis Haslem, Gerald Green, Amar’e Stoudemire and Dorell Wright all come off the books this summer as unrestricted free agents as well, and Tyler Johnson will be a restricted free agent.

The only players on the books for next season are Goran Dragic (who would probably have to be traded to sign KD while also re-signing Wade and Whiteside), Chris Bosh (whose career has been threatened by blood clots), Josh McRoberts, Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson (non-guaranteed contract) and Briante Weber (non-guaranteed contract).

This gives the Heat flexibility, because even if they guaranteed those two non-guaranteed contracts, they’d only have about $50 million on the books. It’s certainly not impossible to make a Durant union happen.

But re-signing Wade will eat into a massive portion of that cap space, and since Kevin Durant would command a max contract starting at around $25.9 million, that’d leave Riley very little flexibility to put some talent and depth around a Wade-KD core.

Between Bosh’s health, the financial sacrifices that would be necessary from both Wade and Whiteside and the question marks about the rest of the roster, reports that the Heat and Warriors are the two frontrunners feel off base.

It’s just hard to see a core built around two players already in their 30s appealing to KD, especially with so many questions needing to be answered in regards to the team’s depth and supporting cast.

Next: No. 5