Would Miami Heat Signing Kevin Durant To Blockbuster Deal In 2016 Impacted The East?

Shandel Richardson | Aug 27, 2024

Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard Kevin Durant (7) shoots against France power forward Guerschon Yabusele (7) in the first quarter in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Former Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside set the Internet abuzz Tuesday with an admission of a possibility that never happened

In 2016, the Heat signed Whiteside to a four-year, $96-million contract during the offseason. While speaking on the OGs Podcast with Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, Whiteside said he told team president Pat Riley he would accept a smaller contract so they could sign Kevin Durant.

"I told Pat [Riley], I said, 'If KD comes, I take less money,'" Whiteside said. "It was more so about winning. We would have Goran, D-Wade, Kevin Durant, Chris Bosh and then me at the five."'

That would have given the Heat a starting lineup of Whiteside, Goran Dragic, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Durant at the start of the season. It never happened because Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors that same summer.

But would have it worked if executed? Probably not.

At midseason, Bosh was diagnosed with blood clots for a second time that eventually ended his career. Even if Durant was on the top of his game, it would have been difficult for the remaining core to keep pace with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs were still rolling with a young Kevin Love and even younger Kyrie Irving.

About the only good that would have come out of this is Wade possibly playing his entire career with the Heat instead of joining the Chicago Bulls and Cavaliers.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He ca be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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