The future of Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn continues to be unclear. While he has a player option for next season, his contract talks with the Nets reportedly are at an impasse and other teams have already been mentioned as possible destinations.
One of the strongest rumors is a reunion with LeBron James at the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Miami Heat are also seen as a possible suitor for the seven-time NBA All-Star.
But that could be just a distraction for what the South Florida franchise really plans. Pat Rileyhas won a reputation for being one of the best negotiators in the league, and it looks like he’s preparing to pull off another master move.
Rumor: Heat’s real plan would be to go after Kevin Durant, not Kyrie Irving
Instead of making a move for Irving, Riley’s idea would be to go after Kevin Durant. If Kyrie decides to opt out of Brooklyn, KD is expected to pack his bags as well. And according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN,that’s when the Heat would step in.
“The godfather move is not to trade for Kyrie Irving. The godfather move is to let the Kyrie Irving situation to blow up and then wait for Kevin Durant to say he wants out of there. That’s the Miami Heat move,” Windhorst said.
The Nets, however, would be reluctant to let KD go. Durant is under contract until 2026, so it would require a big effort to take him out of Brooklyn. It’s hard, but not impossible for the Heat. At the end of the day,there’s a reason why Riley is called ‘The Godfather’.