This will be at least the Heat’s fourth pursuit of Durant during the past decade. Miami tried to land him in 2016 free agency, then tried to acquire him in 2022 (when he requested a trade from Brooklyn; he wasn’t traded until eight months later, to Phoenix) and then made an offer for him before this past February’s trade deadline.

It is still expected in league circles that Kevin Durant will be on a new team next season, even if that takes a little time to unfold, as he has to wait for the Giannis Antetokounmpo domino to fall. There is plenty of interest in the 15-time All-Star ...