A Kevin Durant trade appears imminent, and according to the latest report from Shams Charania, it could happen sooner than expected: “I think a Kevin Durant trade could happen in the next few days.” I’ve been on the fence about a KD trade—there are valid concerns on both sides: future flexibility, an aging superstar, elite offensive upside, and who should truly be “untouchable.” But with momentum building, I’m officially on Team KD. Here are my Five Reasons.

Before diving in, it’s worth noting: I would do everything possible to keep Kel’el Ware and preserve as many first-round picks as possible. That’s my line in the sand.

Here are Ethan Skolnick and Greg Sylvander’s takes: If necessary, do you move Ke’lel Ware to get Kevin Durant? • Five On The Floor: Miami Heat/NBA 

Potential Deal?

According to Zach Lowe, this could be the offer HEAT could do for Kevin Durant:

Miami receives: Kevin Durant

PHX receives: Andrew Wiggins and Nic Claxton

BKN receives: Nikola Jovic, Duncan Robinson and MIA’s 2025 first round pick Only one FRP used and Ware stays.

This would be a no brainer for me.

Five Reasons

1. Instant Contenders in the East: At first glance, Kevin Durant joining the Miami Heat makes a lot of sense on paper. Durant is one of the most versatile scorers in NBA history, capable of creating his own shot from anywhere on the court. Pairing that with Miami’s physical, defense-first mentality led by Erik Spoelstra and Bam Adebayo could create a well-rounded championship contender. Miami’s core would transform into one of the most intriguing Big Threes in the Eastern Conference. Jimmy Butler has long been the heart and soul of Miami’s grit and grind, but with Durant, the offensive firepower would skyrocket. Pairing KD with Bam Adebayo—a versatile two-way force—and Tyler Herro, an emerging sharpshooter and scorer, gives Miami a unique blend of scoring, defense, and youth. The East is as weak as it has been and its all for the taking. With Eric Spoelstra having a top 10 defense in 13 of his 17 years, all Miami needs to be able to do is score, add KD and their offensive problems are solved.
2. Championship Window Set and Stone: If you trade for KD, he more than likely gets extended, and this would ultimately set the Miami Heat’s championship window (2025-2028). With this trade Miami takes the short-term path and goes back for glory. The way the Heat think, and the way they have made things work before it’s worth the risk.
3. Put’s Miami Back on the Map: After a stretch of being in the NBA’s “middle ground” and fading from the national spotlight, acquiring Kevin Durant would instantly re-establish the Miami Heat as a relevant and prominent franchise. The spotlight would return to South Beach, bringing increased media coverage and fan excitement—benefits that ripple across the organization, from ticket sales to free agency appeal. Durant’s star power alone ensures the Heat are back in the national conversation, something that trading Jimmy Butler had temporarily muted.
4. What to Do with Kel’el Ware: If Kel’el is the deal breaker for either side, do you pull the trigger. Do you take the future hall of famer and the short-term path and watch Kel’el potentially blossom elsewhere. It’s a tough decision to make. But Miami has many young intriguing pieces which I discuss in reason 5. Ware has unlimited potential but if you keep him in a trade for KD, he likely isn’t a starter (KD hasn’t played the three in a long time) and also means that Wiggins is likely moved. This means Miami would have a big hole at the three and could struggle defensively in a lot of rotations. This adds a lot of question marks and would make the need for one of those “lateral” moves 100% necessary. I would try not to move Ware and the way the Heat talk about him they don’t want too either.
5. Duncan’s Contract is Valuable and There are Players that Can Help you Win: Duncan Robinson is a huge factor in this deal, with the partial guarantees and early terminations it could help a team like Pheonix get under the second apron. In a weird way he is a huge piece in a KD trade which shall help Miami in a Kevin Durant trade.
   

   My Proposal Earlier This Offseason

   Miami Receives:

   • Kevin Durant

   Phoenix Receives:

   • Kel’el Ware (or Nikola Jović, depending on who’s dealt)

   • Andrew Wiggins

   • Duncan Robinson

   • Two future first-round picks

   

   From Phoenix’s perspective, this brings in a promising big man, Robinson’s flexibility, and a wing in Wiggins who can still contribute at a high level—plus draft capital to reset the clock. For Miami, it’s all-in on a win-now window. This trade allows the Heat to keep their core trio of Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Durant intact. More importantly, it opens up new offensive possibilities and defensive versatility, especially with Bam anchoring the back line. And while trading away picks limits future flexibility, Miami’s history under Pat Riley has always leaned toward aggressive moves for proven stars over future unknowns. This deal follows that blueprint.

If Miami is willing to move Ware, I think it throws them to front runners for KD.

 Pat Riley’s Endorsement of “Aging Greats”: Pat Riley’s recent comments about being open to acquiring an “aging great, great player who may not be able to carry a team” directly align with the profile of Kevin Durant. Riley explicitly stated that with the right complementary pieces, such a player can “rise in the Playoffs.” Durant, even at 35, still performs at an elite level, and in Miami, he wouldn’t need to be the sole carrier of the team. His fit within the Heat’s culture, given his past admiration for it and his lack of locker room issues, makes this move even more appealing to Riley’s philosophy. The fact that even Udonis Haslem is reportedly recruiting Durant further emphasizes the internal belief that KD is the missing piece.

Closing Statement

A Kevin Durant trade is difficult as it would take up the majority of Miami’s cap and there are many ways that this trade could work but all of it depends on what the other teams (Minnesota, Houston, and San Antonio) are willing to throw at Kevin Durant. A Kevin Durant move wouldn’t likely be the only move Miami makes. But for me I’m not throwing Ware at the wall for KD. If Miami can also keep Andrew Wiggins somehow or even move him in another deal Miami’s starting five could be very dangerous, and in the current state of the East, they could make a good run for the next three years before having to find another path.

Just because other teams “can” offer a lot more doesn’t mean they will. And hey who wouldn’t love to have one of the best scorers of all time wear Miami’s jersey?

The Thunder exacted retribution in Game 2, emphatically putting down the Pacers. Coach Rick Carlisle inadvertently predicted the story of the night on Saturday, saying that every team’s pattern is to come out more aggressively after a loss. The Thunder were first to 50-50 balls, their bench scored 48 digits, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rained a surplus of jumpers and layups, and Tyrese Haliburton was gun-shy, getting aggressive way too late. 

Coach Mark Daigneault said, “It would be easy to just say that one thing looked better tonight, but that would be oversimplifying. I think we were just a little bit better in a lot of different areas of execution, pace, organization, decision making in the paint…”

The Thunder deployed the same starting lineup from Game 1 that used Cason Wallace instead of Isaiah Hartenstein to match Indiana’s speed. Chet Holmgren’s outside jumpers and two rim attacks, plus the Thunder’s suffocating squeeze, separated them at 26-20 by the end of the first quarter. They followed up with another prepotent frame, extending their lead to 23 as Gilgeous-Alexander filleted the baseline with a reverse layup after an ATO play as coach Rick Carlisle recoiled and called a timeout.  

Ten straight points by Indiana followed on Pascal Siakam’s two rim attacks on the right side, Aaron Nesmith’s transition corner triple and Andrew Nembhard’s pick-6. Yet the Thunder retained an 18-point lead into intermission on hard drives from SGA and Jalen Willaims, plus Alex Caruso’s transition triple.

At halftime, Caruso and Aaron Wiggins had eight points apiece off the Thunder’s bench. Williams said, “The last game, they had a lot of guys in double figures. That’s what makes them dangerous, the same way we have Aaron Wiggins and guys that don’t play that can come in at any moment…”

The Pacers couldn’t get closer than within 13 points  in the third in spite of Nesmith’s three 3-point bombs. The Pacers were held to 25% shooting in the lane, Tyrese Haliburton was rendered a release valve for most of the period, and their only prosperous run was negated with SGA’s three jumpers at mid and short range plus the Thunder’s 13 freebies.

The hosts opened the fourth quarter ahead by 19 points. Wiggins drained two 3-pointers, and SGA scored twice in the lane before OKC’s main figures were subbed out with a few minutes left. Additionally, Haliburton’s scoring burst was like a boxer finding a second wind after 30 straight minutes of getting picked apart.

The Thunder won 123-107. They contained the Pacers’ transition attack to 75 points per 100 plays, good enough for the seventh percentile, per Cleaning the Glass. Furthermore, SGA eclipsed Allen Iverson (71) for the most points (72) by a player in their first two Finals games, per NBA communications.

Game 3 is Indiana on Wednesday.

The Pacers chopped down the Knicks in Game 6 to advance to the NBA Finals. They were greyhounds in transition, they punished New York’s 17 giveaways with 34 digits, and Pascal Siakam terrorized them at short, mid and long range.

The Pacers’ faithful supporters celebrated their second trip to the NBA Finals and first in 25 years. Siakam won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP named after Larry Bird and it was handed to him by Pacers great Reggie Miller.

Coach Rick Carlisle said that Game 1’s fluky ending put them in position to lead. He also said Thomas Bryant, who added three treys off the bench in Game 6, contributed to the win. 

Early on, Tyrese Haliburton missed all four shots yet had four offerings to three teammates in the first quarter. The Knicks were on the Pacers’ heels but fell into Indiana’s trap by playing at their speed. 

Siakam ran in two more fastbreak baskets and nailed a pull-up trey over Karl-Anthony Towns, plus Haliburton added eight points from deep and short range. Yet the Knicks never fell behind by more than five in the period because of Towns and OG Anunoby’s paint pressure.

The Pacers went to halftime ahead 58-54, with five extra made 3-pointers than their visitors. Then they came out of the break like racers of the Indy 500, taking a 15-point lead five minutes in and forcing four turnovers. Siakam added another 10 points on jumpers and layups, and Haliburton minced coverages with his passing. 

Eventually, the Knicks cut the lead to nine with 10 minutes left, but Andrew Nembhard’s defense slowed down Jalen Brunson, and Haliburton targeted  Towns twice on screen rolls, and pierced the lane two extra times, preventing any chance of a comeback. 

The Pacers couldn’t be stopped in transition and won 125-108. Their defense halted New York’s half-court attack to 93.5 points per 100 plays, good enough for the 39th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass.

After the game, Siakam praised Nembhard’s defense and could tell by the look in his eyes that he was ready. “That guy is special.”

Carlisle said his team can’t celebrate too much. “Getting to the NBA Finals is an achievement, but if you start looking at it that way, you’ll go into it with the wrong mindset.” 

The Pacers, who are winners of three ABA Finals (1970, 1972, 1973)  will play the Thunder in Game 1 of the Finals on June 5. Teams that win Game 1 of the Finals win the series 70.5% of the time.

🎧 Breaking Down the Pod: Should the Heat Embrace the Midrange Again?

Welcome back to Breaking Down the Pod—your go-to spot for sharp, fan-first insights on the Five on the Floor podcast. This time, Ethan Skolnick and Brady Hawk dig into one of the most debated topics surrounding the Miami Heat: is it time to lean back into the midrange game?

🎙️ Episode Review: Miami Heat Strategy — Shift Back to a Midrange Emphasis?

Podcast Hosts: Ethan Skolnick & Brady Hawk
Main Question: Should the Heat reintroduce more midrange action, especially for Tyler Herro?
Sponsors: CousinsUSA.com/5RSN, PrizePicks.com (code: five)
Special Offers: CigarsInternational.com (code: FIVE20), Mood.com (code: FIRST20)

🎙️ Listen here:
▶️ YouTube
🎧 Apple Podcasts
🎧 Spotify

🔍 Why Midrange? Why Now?

As we get deeper into the NBA playoffs, one thing is clear: the best teams—and their stars—score from all three levels. Despite analytics pushing teams toward threes and rim attempts, many of the game’s elite still thrive in the midrange. That’s no coincidence. Open midrange shots are available, and great players can punish defenses when given that space.

That sets the stage for this episode, which was sparked by a key question Brady Hawk asked Tyler Herro at the Heat’s end-of-season press conference:

Brady Hawk:
“Tyler, you were talking about your offensive role heading into the season and how much it changed. I know there’s been some back and forth on whether the mid-range shot would be a major part of your offense. Do you see the way you’re being guarded now as a reason to go back to it—where the midrange is actually a good shot for you in the half court?”

Tyler Herro:
“Yeah… Me and Spo go back and forth on it. He wanted me to play more off the ball this season.
But with the way I’m guarded sometimes, the midrange is the shot to take.
What matters most is making the right play—and whatever that leads to, hopefully it leads to wins.”

🧠 Breaking It Down

That moment becomes a launchpad for the pod’s broader conversation. Ethan and Brady dig into the following:

🔄 Why the Heat shifted away from midrange

Spoelstra has clearly leaned into a more modern, three-point-heavy approach. But that shift may have come at the cost of some of the team’s natural strengths—especially players like Herro, who excel in that 15–18 foot zone.

Ethan:

“What they give you sometimes ends up being the best shot if it’s open—and that is the mid-range. Kawhi Leonard won a championship in Toronto knocking down midrange jumper after midrange jumper.”

🧱 Herro’s fit in the offense

Herro’s increased off-ball role may not unlock his full potential. He’s proven he can hit midrange shots—especially when defenses run him off the three-point line or wall off the rim. When the spacing isn’t there, the midrange often is.

🔄 Roster identity & fit

Brady compares the situation to what works for stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA). The Thunder surround him with scoring threats so he can operate freely at all three levels. That hasn’t consistently been the case in Miami.

Brady:

“If Miami builds around Tyler and Bam, they have to get scoring on the outside”

That’s how you unlock three-level scoring—and take the pressure off Herro and Adebayo to do everything.

🔁 What Comes Next?

The midrange question is really an identity question:
Do the Heat adjust the scheme to fit their personnel—or force players like Herro to fit the scheme?

Ethan:

“I just want players shooting the shot that’s most comfortable for them.”

That’s a simple idea with big implications. If the midrange is open, and the player is confident—why not take it?

👀 The Wiggins Factor

They also talk about Wiggins—someone who never quite found a consistent role to help evaluate his impact. He’s used to adjusting, but injuries and inconsistency held him back.

Brady:

“It’s not just about where Wiggins gets his shots—it’s about how many he takes. When he’s assertive, the offense flows better.”

The same principle applies to Herro: he’s got to be the bucket-getter, and it will be easier for him with a better constructed roster and other willing but most importantly capable scorers.

📌 Final Thoughts

Miami has some real offensive deficiencies—and the midrange debate won’t be fully settled until the roster is set. But one thing is clear: if the Heat want to build around Tyler Herro, they need to add shooters who create space and give him room to operate.

Defensive pressure has taken away some of Herro’s three-point volume, making it harder to stick with the modern “threes and layups” model. More spacing = more freedom. The midrange becomes a viable option again when there are consistent threats both inside and out.

Brady even suggests Miami might look for outside shooting in the draft. That could be key.

Another concern? Free throws. Miami lacks a true foul-drawer right now. That hurts the offense—and limits the value of midrange play unless you’re getting to the line, too.

Could that be Bam’s next evolution? It should be.

So should the Heat embrace the midrange?
Maybe—but only if they build the right roster around it. The stars can thrive in that space. The role players need to clear the way.