Andrew Wiggins Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Notes: Smith, Wiggins, Anderson, Mitchell, Adebayo

February 23rd, 2025 at 10:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Heat shooting guard Dru Smith is two months into the recovery process after having his season cut short by an injury for the second straight year, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Smith was part of Miami’s rotation when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in a December 23 game. It was difficult for him to accept after working his way back from a season-ending knee injury that took place in November 2023.

“It was very, very unfortunate,” Smith said. “It was tough for those first couple days, first week or so, just trying to process it all. I felt like I was in a really good spot, things were going well. So in a sense, it felt like something was taken from me. But it really wasn’t. It was just something that I had to process and move on after that.”

Smith was seeing 19.1 minutes per night through his first 14 games, averaging 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists. He had played double-digit minutes in eight straight games before getting hurt, Chiang notes, and had become a useful bench weapon as an offensive contributor and a standout defender.

The Heat never stopped believing in Smith even though they’ve waived him four times since first signing him in 2021, Chiang adds. He has remained on the roster for the past two months despite the injury, although that could change with a March 4 deadline looming to add two-way players. He’s currently focused on rehab work with a goal of being fully healthy by training camp.

“I think in general, they say around six months that you should be back to basketball activities,” he said. “Around eight months, you should be doing pretty well, moving really well. I think that’s a normal timetable. I don’t think that I’m necessarily ahead or behind or anything like that. So just kind of playing it by ear.”

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In Friday’s win at Toronto, Andrew Wiggins showed he can take over Jimmy Butler‘s scoring load and serve as a closer in late-game situations, Chiang states in a separate story. Wiggins finished with 25 points, his highest total since being traded, with 13 of those coming in the fourth quarter and overtime. “We’re all rooting for Wiggs, man,” Tyler Herro said. “Great guy, we love having him here. We’re super happy to have him. He’s just going to continue to get more comfortable with everything we’re doing. We’re trying to feed as much life and as much confidence into him as possible. We’re really happy for him.”
Wiggins, along with fellow newcomers Kyle Anderson and Davion Mitchell, have adjusted quickly to their new surroundings since coming to Miami at the trade deadline, Chiang notes in another piece. “I feel like they’re embracing it, they’re embracing the culture, they’re embracing the standard,” Bam Adebayo said. “They understand the majority of what we like to do and how we like to compete. I feel like they’ve embraced it. I feel like they’re up for the challenge. So it’s good to have three guys walking in trying to embrace the culture.”
Adebayo is among the favorites now for Defensive Player of the Year honors in light of Victor Wembanyama‘s season-ending blood clot condition, Chiang adds. The Heat center finished third in the balloting last season. “That’s the media’s job, that’s not my job,” Adebayo said. “My job is to go out there and play basketball. It’s always been that thing, and you all always ask me like I can control the media’s mind. But for me, man, it’s just going out there, getting stops, playing defense and having fun. And hopefully it starts to equate to winning.”

Heat Notes: Losing Streak, Wiggins, Rozier, Adebayo, Herro, Mitchell

February 15th, 2025 at 8:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

The All-Star break came at a good time for the Heat. They have lost four straight contests and 11 of their last 16, dropping them three games below .500.

The Heat took a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s game in Oklahoma City, then was outscored 32-8 in the final frame. On Thursday, they fell 118-113 to a depleted Dallas squad that was missing its entire starting five due to injuries.

“Everybody understands the urgency right now,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “There’s not a man in that locker room that doesn’t understand it. We’re disappointed, we’re frustrated. This is humbling.”

We have more out of Miami:

The Heat were far from full strength in the loss to the Mavericks. Only 10 players were available with Andrew Wiggins missing the game due to a stomach illness after playing 34 minutes the previous night. Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier have also missed recent games due to the same stomach bug, Chiang notes. Rozier also sat out Thursday’s game, as did Bam Adebayo. The latter was sidelined by a left knee contusion after posting 27 points, 15 rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes the previous night.
Adebayo expressed exasperation after the late collapse against the Thunder. It was the 13th time this season Miami lost a game after leading by double digits. “It’s one of those things, man, it’s a lesson,” he told Chiang. “But how many times we got to keep learning this lesson? And it’s not just the players, it’s the coaches, as well. We got to understand that we got to all be on the same page.”
Herro told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel a sense of urgency is required at all times in order for the club to turn things around. “This is important,” he said. “This needs to matter to everybody in this locker room every single day, every single night, every single film session, shootaround, walkthrough, everything. I think that’s something that we also have to continue to improve at. The games aren’t the only thing that matter. Everything matters. Walkthroughs, like I said. And then just taking care of each other, helping each other, spending time with each other. We just need to get on the same page going into these last 30 games.”
While the addition of Davion Mitchell gave the Heat a much-needed, point-of-attack backcourt defender, they still lack a definitive play-maker, Winderman writes in his latest mailbag. The subtraction of Jimmy Butler adds to the problem because Herro and Adebayo must focus more on scoring than play-making.

Southeast Notes: Suggs, Wiggins, Heat Exhibition, Nance

February 11th, 2025 at 5:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s been a frustrating stretch for Magic guard Jalen Suggs. He missed 10 games due to a low back strain and has now missed another eight games due to a left thigh contusion. Suggs has still only done non-contact work since his latest injury. Even if he’s able to return for Orlando’s last game before the All-Star break on Wednesday, Suggs will be on a minutes restriction.

“It’s just very important that we keep understanding that everyone’s body is different [and] how they respond to treatment is different,” head coach Jamahl Mosley told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “We’re going to make sure he’s taken care of the right way and understand exactly how we integrate guys back because this is for the long haul.”

The Magic have gone 5-14 over their past 19 games. Their overall defensive rating of 109.0 still ranks third in the league, but it was at 106.4 prior to Suggs’ first 10-game absence and has has been just 113.9 (14th) during that 19-game span without him.

“Jalen is a huge piece for us in what he does and his energy and his enthusiasm — same as Moe Wagner (who is out for the season),” Mosley said. “You can’t replace those pieces whether you try to or not. To put the weight of the entire defense on a young man and what he provides, it’s tough to do.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Andrew Wiggins‘ Heat debut didn’t go well. He shot 3-of-12 shooting from the field while scoring 11 points in 30 minutes against Boston on Monday. Wiggins, acquired from Golden State in the Jimmy Butler blockbuster, wasn’t fazed and knows an adjustment period will be necessary. “That’s the NBA for you,” he said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “It’s never going to be easy. Every game is going to be a dog fight, every game is important, especially for this team. I’m learning my way through. But at the end of the day, it’s basketball. I’ve been playing it since I was a kid. So I think I’ll be fine.”
The Heat will play a preseason game in Puerto Rico this fall, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. It will be the team’s seventh exhibition in Puerto Rico over the team’s 38 seasons but their first since 2006.
Veteran big man Larry Nance Jr. would likely draw a lot of interest in the buyout market but The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie doubts that Nance and the Hawks will pursue that avenue. League sources tell Vecenie that Atlanta coach Quin Snyder is a big fan of the 32-year-old, who has been in the Hawks’ rotation since returning last month from hand surgery. Nance will sit out Wednesday’s game due to a knee injury.

Heat Notes: Butler, Spoelstra, Rivas, Buyout Market, Wiggins, Rotation

February 10th, 2025 at 7:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Heat won half of their first 50 games this season. Considering the extended Jimmy Butler drama, coach Erik Spoelstra is relieved that the team’s spirit didn’t crumble before Butler was dealt to Golden State.

“It was six, eight weeks of not having full clarity,” Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “But I think that helped our team develop some grit. Even though our record isn’t where we want it to be, it could have been a lot worse. You go through a lot of circumstances like that, I’ve seen a lot of teams just fall apart. So we were able to develop some grit that I really like when you have those opportunities during a regular season.”

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Armando Rivas, listed as an assistant athletic trainer, has submitted his resignation, the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman writes. Rivas served as Butler’s de facto personal trainer during the forward’s tenure with the Heat, joining Butler from the 76ers during the 2019 offseason.
The Heat plan to explore the buyout market, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. They’ll take a cautious approach, since they already have a full roster and would have to waive a player, most likely either Alec Burks or Keshad Johnson, to bring someone new aboard. The Heat’s deadline moves allowed them to move below the first tax apron, meaning they can sign any player who’s bought out, regardless of the player’s pre-waiver salary.
Andrew Wiggins, the biggest name among the incoming players in the Butler blockbuster, believes he won’t have any trouble fitting into the Heat’s lineup. “Golden State had a unique style, especially playing with Steph (Curry) and Draymond (Green),” he said, per Chiang. “There are similarities with Tyler (Herro) and Bam (Adebayo). So, looking forward to getting out there, being one of the older guys and just getting it started with them.”
The deadline additions will create some interesting decisions regarding the rotation. Winderman speculates that the only rotation locks are Adebayo, Herro, Wiggins, Kel’el Ware, Duncan Robinson, Davion Mitchell and Nikola Jovic.

Heat Rumors: Wiggins, Butler, Anderson, Tax

February 8th, 2025 at 6:48am CST by Luke Adams

After declining to comment on the Jimmy Butler situation in recent weeks, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra addressed the subject on Friday after the team’s four-team deal sending the star forward to Golden State had officially been processed, per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

Spoelstra admitted that he doesn’t “completely understand” how the relationship deteriorated to the extend that it did, but expressed gratitude to Butler for his time in Miami.

“It was a great partnership and corroboration for five years,” Spoelstra said. “Some deep core memories. I’m grateful for them and grateful for the time of being able to coach a player like Jimmy.”

As for the outcome of the trade, Spoelstra praised the front office for bolstering the roster “in a way that was really creative,” expressing enthusiasm about the players the team added. The coach lauded Andrew Wiggins for his ability to fit in and make an impact on both ends of the court; cited Davion Mitchell‘s “competitive spirit” and toughness as traits the club has long admired; and referred to Kyle Anderson as one of the league’s most unique role players whose “IQ is off the charts.”

“(General manager) Andy (Elisburg) just did a tremendous job,” Spoelstra said. “Obviously (team president) Pat (Riley) with this vision of all this stuff. And to be able to get a draft pick, we were able to do a lot of different things.

“We have clarity now. This could have looked a lot worse if you had to go through a lot of different changing situations. All things considered, it’s a good spot for this stretch run. We feel good about turning the page of the direction of our franchise. It’s exciting. [And] Jimmy will be in a great place in Golden State.”

Here are a few more items of interest related to the Heat’s trade talks leading up to Thursday’s deadline:

The Bucks and Sixers were mentioned a couple times in recent weeks as possible suitors for Butler, but neither team had substantive discussions with the Heat, Jackson reports in another Miami Herald story. Jackson believes a trade centered around Butler and Paul George would’ve been of greater interest to Philadelphia than Miami.
As they engaged Golden State in recent weeks about a Butler trade, the Heat never seriously considered the idea of flipping Wiggins to Toronto or another team, according to Jackson, who says Miami really likes the former No. 1 overall pick and views him as a good two-way fit.
The Heat would have ducked out of luxury tax territory if they’d completed a rumored side deal to send Anderson to the Raptors, but Toronto’s front office changed its mind about bringing the veteran forward aboard when the team got the chance to acquire Brandon Ingram from New Orleans, says Jackson. The Heat weren’t angry at the Raptors about that pivot, Jackson adds, because they understood their talks were fluid and they hadn’t gotten a firm commitment from Toronto.
Even though that aspect of the trade fell through, the Heat moved forward with another side deal – sending Dennis Schröder, a second-round pick, and cash to Utah for P.J. Tucker – even though it no longer moved them below the tax line, Jackson writes, because they didn’t want to renege on their agreement with the Jazz. Schröder and Tucker ultimately ended up in Detroit and Toronto, respectively, when the dust settled.
The Heat, who remained about $2.8MM over the tax line following the Butler blockbuster, received three trade offers in the hours leading up to Thursday’s deadline that would’ve made them a non-taxpayer, per Jackson. However, they decided that all three proposals would make the team worse and opted to remain in the tax rather than accept one of them. Miami is still below the first tax apron, giving the club the ability to pursue any player who hits the buyout market, regardless of the player’s previous salary.

More On Kevin Durant: Curry Convo, Warriors/Heat Trade Talks

February 7th, 2025 at 9:24pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors and Suns began “secretly” talking about the possibility of a Kevin Durant trade early last week, according to Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, who say that the star forward and his longtime manager and agent Rich Kleiman didn’t learn about those discussions until the two teams played one another last Friday.

By Saturday, the two teams were far enough along in negotiations that Durant and Stephen Curry touched base to talk about the idea. Shelburne and Windhorst hear from sources that Durant told Curry a reunion with the Warriors “didn’t feel right” and that this “wasn’t the time” for them to team up again.

While the Warriors were discouraged by Durant’s stance, they didn’t give up on making a deal at that point, hoping that Durant might change his tune once he learned how far down the road Phoenix had gotten in those discussions without informing him, per ESPN.

The Suns have internally conceded that it was a mistake not to loop Durant into the process earlier, Shelburne and Windhorst say. The former MVP has been described as “blindsided” by being so heavily involved in trade rumors this week after having expressed a desire to stay in Phoenix.

“We should’ve gone through (Kleiman),” a team source told ESPN.

As Shams Charania reported earlier today, the Warriors, Suns, and Heat discussed a potential multi-team trade that would’ve sent both Jimmy Butler and Jonathan Kuminga to Phoenix, with Durant going to Golden State. Shelburne and Windhorst provide more details on those conversations, reporting that the Wizards were involved as well, as we speculated on Wednesday.

The four teams were negotiating a trade that would have looked like this, according to ESPN:

Durant to Golden State.
Butler, Kuminga, Jonas Valanciunas, two first-round picks (from the Warriors), two second-round picks (one each from Miami and Golden State), and pick swaps to Phoenix.
Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schröder, Kyle Anderson, and the Cavaliers’ 2025 first-round pick (via Phoenix) to Miami.

There are some missing details there — among them, Jusuf Nurkic would’ve been involved and would’ve gone to the Wizards, who presumably would’ve sought at least a first-rounder from the Suns as a sweetener to take on that contract.

While it sounds like there was some momentum in those negotiations, the Heat ultimately weren’t sold on the deal. They sought the Warriors’ 2025 first-round pick rather than Cleveland’s, according to Shelburne and Windhorst, who say that Golden State also had some reservations about the Suns’ steep asking price for Durant.

With Durant standing firm on his stance that he had no desire to go to Golden State, the talks fell apart.

After those discussions ended, there was a window for the Heat to potentially acquire Durant in a trade that would send Butler to Phoenix. Durant would have been more open to playing in Miami than Golden State, sources tell ESPN, and the Suns and Heat traded “visions” of what a deal might look like, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

However, the Suns were seeking a massive haul for Durant that included “a combination of talented young players and draft picks,” Jackson writes. According to both ESPN and the Herald, the Heat considered the price too steep and backed out, pivoting to a Butler deal with the Warriors that cut out Phoenix altogether.

The Suns were “deflated” by the outcome, according to Shelburne and Windhorst, who say that there were several times during the weeks leading up to Thursday’s deadline that Phoenix thought there might be a path to a Butler deal involving Bradley Beal.

However, sources tell ESPN that the Hawks and Wizards were believed to be the only teams considering taking on Beal, and it’s unclear whether he would’ve waived his no-trade clause for either team. The Suns reportedly never got close enough to a deal to approach Beal about it, eventually pivoting to exploring a Durant scenario without first informing the star forward.

As Windhorst noted on the latest Hoop Collective podcast, we’ll find out this coming summer whether those Suns trade talks involving Durant will sour him on the idea of remaining in Phoenix beyond this season.

Heat Officially Trade Jimmy Butler To Warriors In Five-Team Deal

February 6th, 2025 at 7:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The five-team blockbuster sending Jimmy Butler from the Heat to the Warriors is now official, according to press releases from multiple clubs involved in the trade. The terms of the deal, which also includes the Jazz, Pistons, and Raptors, are as follows:

Warriors acquire Butler.
Heat acquire Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell, and the Warriors’ 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protected).
Pistons acquire Dennis Schröder, Lindy Waters, and either the Warriors’ or Timberwolves’ 2031 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable; from Warriors).
Jazz acquire KJ Martin, Josh Richardson, a 2028 second-round pick (from Pistons; exact details TBD), either the Heat’s or Pacers’ 2031 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable; from Heat), and cash (from Heat).
Raptors acquire P.J. Tucker, the Lakers’ 2026 second-round pick (from Heat), and cash (from Heat).

Utah waived Jalen Hood-Schifino in order to acquire two players while sending one out, as we detailed earlier. They’re also expected to cut Richardson.

The deal wraps up a saga that first began on December 10 when word broke that the Heat were open to listening to offers for Butler. By Christmas Day, Butler was said to prefer a trade out of Miami, and a little over a week later he formally asked the team to move him.

The situation only escalated from there, with the Heat repeatedly suspending Butler for conduct detrimental to the team and withholding services. He was serving an indefinite team-imposed suspension when news broke on Wednesday that the Warriors had struck a deal to acquire him.

Butler, who will be teaming up in Golden State with longtime Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, has reportedly already agreed to a two-year, maximum-salary extension with the team, as we outlined in our original story on the trade. We also published full stories on two side deals involving the Heat and Raptors and Pistons and Jazz that were folded into this larger trade structure.

The latest word, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link), is that Saturday is the target date for Butler’s Warriors debut. Golden State will play in Chicago that night.

Warriors Notes: Butler Trade, Curry, Kuminga, Wiggins, Green

February 6th, 2025 at 10:55am CST by Arthur Hill

The trade sending Jimmy Butler to the Warriors can be considered a backup plan for both parties, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The Suns were Butler’s first choice and Golden State was hoping to reacquire Kevin Durant, but Durant had no interest in returning to the Bay Area, dousing any hopes for a three-team deal.

The Warriors paid what they believe is a “modest” price for Butler, according to Slater, parting with Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Dennis Schröder (who’s going to Utah), Lindy Waters (headed to Detroit), and a top-10 protected first-round pick in 2025. Sources tell Slater that Golden State’s front office doesn’t mind giving up the draft choice because it wasn’t excited about any of the prospects in the late lottery and beyond.

Slater considers the riskiest part of the deal for the Warriors to be the two-year, $111MM extension they gave Butler to make sure he’s happy in his new home. Because Butler declined his $52.4MM player option for next season, Golden State essentially added on one year at $58MM and gave him a contract that will expire at the same time as Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

“Him signing an extension is big,” Curry said. “Knowing he’s committed for this next little run … I know there was a lot of drama down there (in Miami). Who really knows what the story is? We expect to have a motivated, committed Jimmy. I can put myself in his shoes. He’s been away from the game for a minute. He’s been frustrated for whatever reason. When you get into a situation that’s a fresh start, it establishes expectations that we’re all used to that we need to win. We all thrive off that energy.”

That financial commitment will likely result in at least two more years of high tax bills. Slater hears that the Warriors are willing to pay a “pricey figure” to re-sign Jonathan Kuminga, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.

There’s more on the Warriors:

News of the Butler trade broke shortly before the start of Wednesday’s game at Utah, which created an awkward situation. As Slater describes, coach Steve Kerr gathered his players in the locker room after warmups and informed them of the impending deal. He found it extremely difficult to break the news to Wiggins. “Wiggs is one of my favorite players I’ve ever coached,” Kerr said. “Just a beautiful soul. Just a wonderful human being. We don’t hang that banner in (2022) without him. Everything he brings every day, the laughter, the smile, the joy. I’m gonna miss him.”
Green’s name was floated in trade rumors as the Warriors explored the possibility of reacquiring Durant, but he tells Slater that he never checked with the front office to see if he might be dealt. “I always talk to (general manager Mike Dunleavy). But, no, what’s going to happen is going to happen,” Green said. “Ninety-five percent of the things you worry about never come true. If (I did get traded), then it just is what it is. My worries ain’t stopping it. So I wasn’t worried at all. I’ve been in a place of uncertainty overall. But what’s going to be is going to be. To sit and worry about it, this life is hard enough to worry about what you can’t control.”
Green stated that he has no concerns about playing alongside Butler despite their sharp personalities, Slater adds. Kevon Looney points out that Green has co-existed with other strong-willed players such as DeMarcus Cousins, Chris Paul, David West, Andre Iguodala and more. “Guys like that who are dogs, alpha males, they respect other people like that,” Looney said. “They kind of stay out of each other’s way. Draymond is a great connector. He’s a great leader. He makes things happen on the floor and off the court.”
An ESPN panel looks at how the trade will affect both the Warriors and the Heat, and is unanimous in believing that Golden State might not be Butler’s last NBA stop.

Eastern Notes: George, Kuzma, Valanciunas, Ingram, Butler, Wiggins

February 6th, 2025 at 10:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

Paul George thought he’d be competing for a championship this season when he signed with the Sixers. Instead, the star forward has spent his first season in Philadelphia battling injuries. He has been sidelined by knee, groin, ankle and finger injuries that have limited him to 31 games.

“It’s super frustrating,” George told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Super frustrating, especially, coming in with big goals and what I wanted to accomplish and what the team wants to accomplish, and then to always have these setbacks. It’s super frustrating, I for sure feel it. But you know all the bad luck, something has to change. That’s all I can kind of weigh on is, things will change. There are positives in all of it. I just got to weather the storm.”

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

Trading away Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valanciunas continues the Wizards’ necessary strategy in a tear-down rebuild, Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes. The roster has been almost completely made over since president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins took over the top front office jobs. Those trades continue the Wizards’ aim of accumulating draft picks and providing young players with heavy minutes.
Trading for Brandon Ingram is an unusual step for a seemingly rebuilding team like the Raptors, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. While Ingram is a mid-range ace, his overall game is flawed and the Raptors gave up valuable assets for him, according to Koreen, who believes it’s likely they’ll make a strong offer, probably at least $35MM per season, to retain him when he enters free agency this offseason.
As Sportsnet’s Michael Grange details, the Raptors were looking for a significant piece to pair with franchise player Scottie Barnes and wouldn’t have had the cap space necessary this summer to get a top free agent like Barnes. In the big picture, the Raptors believe Ingram can help them be competitive next season and beyond.
With the Jimmy Butler standoff finally in the rear mirror, Heat players expressed not only relief but also excitement that Andrew Wiggins was part of the package from Golden State, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I think it’s going to take a huge weight off everybody’s shoulders once we can move forward from everything, once it’s over with,” Terry Rozier said. “Who we got and we can move forward with that, and try to put it together and get ready for the playoffs. I think it’s a huge lift for everybody, just clarity… Obviously, we’ve been the talk of the town for probably the last month. I think it’s going to be huge for our locker room just knowing what we got going out there. It’s going to be a huge help for us.”

Trade Rumors: Durant, Heat, Hunter, Hornets, Celtics

February 6th, 2025 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Before the Heat agreed to trade Jimmy Butler to the Warriors, those two teams and the Suns had the framework in place for a potential deal that would have sent Butler to Phoenix and Kevin Durant to Golden State, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during a Thursday appearance on Get Up (YouTube link).

When it became clear that Durant wasn’t interested in reuniting with the Warriors, the three teams pivoted. The Heat and Warriors got together to finalize a Butler deal, while Durant now appears likely to remain in Phoenix through the deadline

According to Windhorst, there was a window after the Warriors’ talks for Durant fell through for the Heat to make a play for the Suns’ superstar forward, but Phoenix sought several additional assets that Miami didn’t want to give up.

“I do think there was some interest on both sides, but in the cursory discussions, from what I understand, Phoenix was looking for a massive return for Kevin Durant,” Windhorst said. “The Heat weren’t really into that game. They had gotten comfortable with acquiring Andrew Wiggins. That was a deal they had kind of agreed to the day before.”

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter is a name to watch ahead of the deadline, says Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). Previous reporting indicated that the Cavaliers are talking to Atlanta about Hunter, and Mannix confirms that Cleveland is considered the frontrunner, though he suggests other teams have also called about the 27-year-old.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) has heard that the Hornets are “very open” to moving Miles Bridges, Cody Martin, and Vasilije Micic. Of those three players, Martin, who has an $8.12MM pseudo-expiring contract (next season’s salary is non-guaranteed) would likely be the easiest to move. Bridges has a pricey contract that runs through 2026/27, while Martin has more on-court value than Micic, who is on a $7.7MM de facto expiring deal.
Having agreed to trade away Jaden Springer, the Celtics are on the lookout for a reserve wing player whom head coach Joe Mazzulla could trust more, sources tell Brian Robb of MassLive.com. Boston will likely target that sort of player on the buyout market if no trade options emerge today.