Heat Want Salary Flexibility To Meet With Kevin Durant In Free Agency

[dgonz424]

There's a serious disconnect between fans saying that Wade is the Heat GOAT, and Pat Riley always trying to build championship teams around players other than Wade, be it Shaq, Lebron, or now Durant. It's pretty clear that building a champion around Wade was never a consideration for Pat.

You can make the same argument about Kobe and Duncan. They've had their time to be THE man and their time to share the limelight. Shaq was arguably more dominant than Kobe back in the day but Wade was, without a doubt, the Finals MVP in '06.

When Shaq left, Kobe became the unquestioned leader of the Lakers, and they built that team around him and went to 3 straight NBA finals ... and won 2 of them.

And you can't make that argument about Duncan at all.

Just like how Wade was the leader of the '06 Heat. I'm not trying to compare Kobe and Wade in terms of their accomplishments, just how they've both had their turn to be the man.

You're saying Kawhi isn't the man now? You're saying Parker doesn't have a case as being their most important player at one point? Duncan is great but he isn't their best player right now.

Like I said, a lot of superstars have their turn to be the man and sometimes they're not.

[UD4MVP]

Didn't the salary cap guy Albert Random or w.e disprove this. We don't have the space for a starting 5 of dragon, wade, kd, cb, and whiteside. Just Lebby speaking out of his ass again

[contract]

You're saying Kawhi isn't the man now? You're saying Parker doesn't have a case as being their most important player at one point? Duncan is great but he isn't their best player right now.

Yes and yes.

And the Wade comment is absurd.

[SCHeat]

Depends on how we look next year with goran/wade/deng/bosh/Whiteside

If Goran and Wade gel, Bosh bounces back to form, and Whiteside makes that jump it could be an attractive package.

[DWadeno3]

Liam Nelson voice "Goodluck".

Durant is going to DC, GS with Curry, or sticking it out in OKC with Westbrook. Miami this time literally has NO chance. Hey Durant come play with what might as well be a 40yo Wade, Ibabosh, Dragic, Whoside. Yea, not gonna happen.

As much as it pains me to say it, we will NEVER be as good as we were these past few years.

Just like the Bulls will never be as good as the Jordan years.

Are best years came and went. We will have decent and good to great teams. Contend here and there. Maybe win another ring sometime. But what we saw these past years, Miami will never be as good as we were ever again.

That's nonsense. You can build legendary teams in many different ways. We wouldn't even need Durant for that.

[dgonz424]

You're saying Kawhi isn't the man now? You're saying Parker doesn't have a case as being their most important player at one point? Duncan is great but he isn't their best player right now.

Yes and yes.

And the Wade comment is absurd.

So Kawhi is a Finals MVP and won DPOY but he isn't the man? Wade only had the greatest Finals performance ever but he wasn't the man either and you say it's absurd to say that?

[Bishop45]

Liam Nelson voice "Goodluck".

Durant is going to DC, GS with Curry, or sticking it out in OKC with Westbrook. Miami this time literally has NO chance. Hey Durant come play with what might as well be a 40yo Wade, Ibabosh, Dragic, Whoside. Yea, not gonna happen.

As much as it pains me to say it, we will NEVER be as good as we were these past few years.

Just like the Bulls will never be as good as the Jordan years.

Are best years came and went. We will have decent and good to great teams. Contend here and there. Maybe win another ring sometime. But what we saw these past years, Miami will never be as good as we were ever again.

That's nonsense. You can build legendary teams in many different ways. We wouldn't even need Durant for that.

You should have stopped reading after "Ibabosh"

Dudes been spewing trash like no other, cats just want to be dramatic

[contract]

You're saying Kawhi isn't the man now? You're saying Parker doesn't have a case as being their most important player at one point? Duncan is great but he isn't their best player right now.

Yes and yes.

And the Wade comment is absurd.

So Kawhi is a Finals MVP and won DPOY but he isn't the man? Wade only had the greatest Finals performance ever but he wasn't the man either and you say it's absurd to say that?

Finals MVP means that you were (supposedly) the best player on the winning team during that 7 game series. It's not a statement as to who the main guy is on that team. Without Tim Duncan, the Spurs are flat out not a contender. Not this year, not last year, not any year. Leonard is a very good player, but the Spurs would be fine without him.

Tim Duncan has been and remains the straw that stirs that drink.

[KingDavid]

You're saying Kawhi isn't the man now? You're saying Parker doesn't have a case as being their most important player at one point? Duncan is great but he isn't their best player right now.

Yes and yes.

And the Wade comment is absurd.

So Kawhi is a Finals MVP and won DPOY but he isn't the man? Wade only had the greatest Finals performance ever but he wasn't the man either and you say it's absurd to say that?

Kawhi is the man on that team now. Without him OR Duncan, they might not be so hot. Kawhi may not have Duncan's career impact, but he's still a damn good player and a top 5 SF. His stock wavered this season because of injuries.

[DayofMourning]

That's nonsense. You can build legendary teams in many different ways. We wouldn't even need Durant for that.

You're right about that. Many consider the Heat to have the best starting lineup in the league. If we can build a bench and have a SG to carry Wade's minutes for him when he's not in the lineup, then we could easily be in the Finals.

However, swapping Deng out for Durant would take this team to another level. Would love his skill set alongside Wade and Dragic.

[contract]

All this turmoil in hopes of signing a player who couldn't win a championship with Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka on his team.

[DayofMourning]

All this turmoil in hopes of signing a player who couldn't win a championship with Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka on his team.

ISO ball for the win!

[Grumpy Heat Fan]

Pipe dream. Kevin Durant's personality is going to keep him "home" in Oklahoma City. He won't leave.

[DayofMourning]

Pipe dream. Kevin Durant's personality is going to keep him "home" in Oklahoma City. He won't leave.

Yeah, I don't see him leaving either, but you've got to entertain the possibility of it. Leave no stone unturned.

[twix2500]

That's nonsense. You can build legendary teams in many different ways. We wouldn't even need Durant for that.

You're right about that. Many consider the Heat to have the best starting lineup in the league. If we can build a bench and have a SG to carry Wade's minutes for him when he's not in the lineup, then we could easily be in the Finals.

However, swapping Deng out for Durant would take this team to another level. Would love his skill set alongside Wade and Dragic.

This team has a great talent base to work with. But many flaws, it's not the talent, but how they compliment each other is flawed. It needs remodeling. I doubt Riley would let anyone walk unless the demands are ridiculous. But of they resign, they will be a trade assets next season if they cluster caproom for 2016.

This team has not made the playoffs. And Riley traded core players before who made good playoff runs. Eddie Jones, Lamar Odom, Caron Butler. Players you all liked, and do not think Riley would not do the same for KD.

[Chalm Down]

All this turmoil in hopes of signing a player who couldn't win a championship with Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka on his team.

Well, he was going up against a team that had prime LeBron, Wade, and Bosh...

After that, Harden got traded, and OKC hasn't had a healthy core of Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka in the playoffs ever since.

[Paz]

This is a question from a Heat fan to Ira Winderman:


ASK IRA: Is Kevin Durant a Heat pipe dream?



June 3, 2015

Q: What has a better chance of happening: American Pharaoh winning the Triple Crown or the Miami Heat signing Kevin Durant in 2016? So what are the early Las Vegas odds on Pat Riley signing Kevin Durant? And if the Miami Heat do have a shot at getting Kevin Durant, why wouldn't Dwyane Wade opt in for another year? Riley has the rings, the system, a proven track record with his last student (LeBron James) and sunshine. However, the biggest selling point could be the weak competition in the East. Kevin Durant doesn't have to play in a NBA Final series in every round in the West! -- Stuart.

A: First, one of Durant's associates in South Florida has been telling me for months that if Durant leaves the Thunder it would be to return home to Washington. Your secondary point might be more valid, about a player wanting out of the Western Conference grinder. Look, if Anthony Davis continues to rise with the Pelicans, and if the Suns and Jazz maximize their lottery picks, the West only will get tougher. I'm not much of a handicapper, but American Pharaoh already is two-thirds of the way there. I don't think Pat Riley's master plan is anywhere as close to the finish line. There simply are waaaay too many variables over the next 13 months. And beyond all that, there is absolutely no way the math works with Goran Dragic, Chris Bosh and Hassan Whiteside earning in the $20 million range and Dwyane Wade even in the $10 million range (which isn't happening). That's $70 million in cap space right there. But, hey, Riley certainly has the right to put his superfecta money where he wants.

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1 of 2 down. ITS HAPPENING!!

[twix2500]

Im going to let that sit right there and marinate.



And everyone laugh at the idea that this could happen. Sign Lamar, trade for Boozer, trade for Stoudamire, we have Beasley and the Miami Heat getting Lebron is a pipedream, he is either going to Chicago or New York or to Brooklyn to hang with his homeboy Jay Z. And along came this...



We have a great trio Wade, Odom and Butler, all we need is a center. Shaq? CMon he not coming to Miami. He is either going to Dallas or New York. Man Eddie Jones is a glue guy, we can not get nothing in return for Eddie Jones he overpayed washed up. Qyntel Wood could be the next Pippen. We almost beat Detroit in the finals, we do not need no major change. And then this happened.

[RexBoyWonder]

Im going to let that sit right there and marinate.



And everyone laugh at the idea that this could happen. Sign Lamar, trade for Boozer, trade for Stoudamire, we have Beasley and the Miami Heat getting Lebron is a pipedream, he is either going to Chicago or New York or to Brooklyn to hang with his homeboy Jay Z. And along came this...



We have a great trio Wade, Odom and Butler, all we need is a center. Shaq? CMon he not coming to Miami. He is either going to Dallas or New York. Man Eddie Jones is a glue guy, we can not get nothing in return for Eddie Jones he overpayed washed up. Qyntel Wood could be the next Pippen. We almost beat Detroit in the finals, we do not need no major change. And then this happened.

[twix2500]

Im going to let that sit right there and marinate.



And everyone laugh at the idea that this could happen. Sign Lamar, trade for Boozer, trade for Stoudamire, we have Beasley and the Miami Heat getting Lebron is a pipedream, he is either going to Chicago or New York or to Brooklyn to hang with his homeboy Jay Z. And along came this...



We have a great trio Wade, Odom and Butler, all we need is a center. Shaq? CMon he not coming to Miami. He is either going to Dallas or New York. Man Eddie Jones is a glue guy, we can not get nothing in return for Eddie Jones he overpayed washed up. Qyntel Wood could be the next Pippen. We almost beat Detroit in the finals, we do not need no major change. And then this happened.

All three scenarios had the exact same chance, what ever that chance was.