It certainly isn’t a secret that Kevin Durant will be the most hotly-pursued NBA free agent in 2016. But the Miami Heat and, in particular, the team’s president of basketball operations Pat Riley, have a well-established history of luring free agents. A report by Sun Sentinel beat reporter Ira Winderman confirms that Riley has ‘absolutely’ targeted Durant next summer:
“Could they make a move for Durant? Sure. Is Pat Riley plotting in that direction? Absolutely. But I think it will take a certain degree of tearing up the roster also and that’s why I think for a team that has traded away all of its first-round picks basically beyond 2021 and has limited resources, that Hassan Whiteside also could be a trade chip.