Heat Among ‘Several’ Teams Interested In Cody Martin
As part of the wider trade talks involving Kevin Durant, “several” NBA teams have expressed interest in Suns wing Cody Martin, league sources tell Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Although the report states multiple teams are intrigued by the possibility of adding Martin, only one is actually listed — the Heat, who are “known to hold an affinity” for the veteran guard/forward.
As the authors point out, Martin’s identical twin brother Caleb Martin had a productive three-year run with Miami.
Cody Martin, whose $8.68MM salary for 2025/26 is non-guaranteed until June 30, was acquired by Phoenix in February ahead of the trade deadline. He spent his first five-and-a-half seasons in Charlotte, the team that selected him 36th overall in 2019.
While the 29-year-old is a strong, versatile defender and solid play-maker, he hasn’t been much of a scoring threat in the NBA, holding career averages of 6.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steal on .436/.308/.661 shooting in 21.9 minutes per game across 259 appearances.
Martin has also been plagued by injuries the past few seasons, including a sports hernia ailment in 2024/25 which delayed his Suns debut.
Heat Draft Notes: Workouts, Positional Fits
With the Heat still very much in the mix as a Kevin Durant trade partner with the Suns, there’s no guarantee they’ll be selecting at their allotted spot of the 20th pick in the 2025 draft. However, that hasn’t deterred them from approaching their first-round draft preparation as usual, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Winderman adds that there’s a lot of potential volatility in the Heat’s draft range. The 16th pick has already moved from Orlando to Memphis, while Minnesota, at 17, is also firmly in the Durant mix, and the 18th and 19th picks, belonging to Washington and Brooklyn, respectively, will likely be involved in trade discussions too, since both teams have multiple first-rounders and are rumored to be exploring trade-up scenarios.
The Heat have declined to make their pre-draft workouts public, unlike many teams, which has led to speculation that they’re focusing more on Durant. But Winderman writes that just because the sessions aren’t being announced doesn’t mean there isn’t due diligence happening behind the scenes.
We have more on the Heat’s draft outlook:
- As for who the Heat could select should they stay at No. 20, Miami Herald writer Anthony Chiang has published a trio of articles detailing potential targets. When it comes to guard options, Chiang writes that some, if not all, of Walter Clayton Jr. (Flordia), Egor Demin (BYU), Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois), Jase Richardson (Michigan State), and Nolan Traore (Saint-Quentin) could be available, though he views Demin and Jakucionis as most likely to be off the board by the time Miami picks.
- If Miami decides to prioritize a wing, Chiang says that the most likely field of candidates include Nique Clifford (CSU), Cedric Coward (Washington State), Liam McNeeley (UConn), Drake Powell (UNC), Will Riley (Illinois), Adou Thiero (Arkansas), Hugo Gonzalez (Real Madrid), and Noah Penda (Le Mans). Coward is considered one of the draft’s major risers and is a real threat to go in the lottery. Clifford’s combination of size, age, and a well-rounded skill set could make him a prospect of interest to teams looking to find a more ready-made contributor.
- Finally, Chiang looks at the draft’s big men prospects. Names that could be on the board at No. 20 include Rasheer Fleming (Saint Joseph), Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton), Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina), Asa Newell (Georgia), Maxime Raynaud (Stanford), Thomas Sorber (Georgetown), Danny Wolf (Michigan), Joan Beringer (Cedevita Olimpija), and Noa Essengue (Ulm). Of that group, Murray-Boyles and Essengue are the ones viewed as the best bets to be lottery picks, while Beringer has become an increasingly popular name for teams in the middle of the first round after measuring in at an impressive 6’11” barefoot with a 7’5″ wingspan.
Latest On Kevin Durant
Evidently Phoenix isn’t thrilled with the trade offers the team has received for Kevin Durant to this point.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Shams Charania said that while several teams have expressed interest in the 36-year-old forward, none have been willing to give the Suns the type of return package they’re looking for.
“The Suns know if they’re going to trade Kevin Durant, they clearly have a price threshold they want met,” Charania said. “I had one team tell me today that it’s kind of a game of chicken at this point. From the Rockets, to the Heat, to the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s literally one or two pieces away (from getting a deal done).
“But at the end of the day, one of these teams has to meet that threshold to get something done. The NBA draft is about a week away. So could this go into the NBA draft? For sure. But I don’t think the Suns want it to, I don’t think the other teams want it to. … My understanding is they’re in active conversations with those three teams, specifically, on trying to get a deal done for Kevin Durant. … I would also not be surprised if this (involves three or four teams).”
Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald confirms (via Twitter) that the Heat are currently unwilling to meet Phoenix’s asking price for Durant, but it’s possible that could change.
According to Charania (Twitter video link), the Suns are very much willing to make a trade that does not involve the Spurs, Rockets or Heat, who are reportedly at the top of Durant’s list of preferred destinations. But Durant also has a degree of leverage, since he could be a free agent in 2026 — he’s on an expiring contract, which will pay him $54.7MM next season.
Charania also touched on the Spurs’ interest in Durant, which sounds somewhat tepid (Twitter video link).
“(The No. 2 pick) I don’t see going anywhere,” Charania reported. “I think the Spurs feel really good about No. 2. Dylan Harper, he’s already been to the Spurs’ facilities, met them in San Antonio earlier this month. But you know, you never know with the draft. But that’s what it looks like right now.
“… My feel right now is that the Spurs, they have interest in Kevin Durant. They have talked to the Suns — to my understanding — about Kevin Durant. But there is a certain price threshold they’ll go to for a guy like Kevin Durant, and if that price doesn’t align with Phoenix’s, then clearly, there’s just not going to be a deal.”
Charania went on to suggest that the Spurs are likely waiting to use their stockpile of assets on a player who would better fit their timeline, assuming such a player becomes available in the future.
Sam Amick of The Athletic also discussed the Durant situation on FanDuel’s Run It Back show (Twitter video link). According to Amick, the Spurs appear to be the top team on Durant’s wish list.
“(The Suns) clearly don’t like what they’re hearing from San Antonio, Houston and Miami,” Amick said. “And I keep making the distinction, those three teams are not created equal on the list. Kevin has made it clear in different conversations — at times, anyway — that he was really focused on the Spurs. They’re not showing a ton of incentive to get a deal done. It’s one of those things where, if you want to give him to us on our terms, where we don’t really give up a lot, then that would be great.
“Phase two, to me, of these talks is that the Suns clearly like what they could get out of Minnesota. But the Wolves are not gonna play that game at all unless they are confident that Kevin wants to come. And you can tell that Phoenix is kind of trying to nudge him in that direction and compel him to add a fourth team to his list.
“So that, to me, is the interesting dynamic: Does he change his stance on Minnesota?” Amick continued. “If not, when do (the Suns) come off of that and maybe look harder at Miami or one of these other situations. So I still feel like we’re a little ways away.”
Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Durant, DeRozan, Kuminga, Sixers, Yabusele, Flagg
Potential moves around the NBA are on hold as the league waits for the Suns to finalize a Kevin Durant trade, according to Mark Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
They mention Kings forward DeMar DeRozan as a player who could be a “fallback trade target” for unsuccessful Durant suitors and cite a report from James Ham of The Kings Beat, who said on his podcast this week that the Heat may be among the teams that pursue DeRozan.
Sources tell Stein and Fischer that Miami has previously expressed interest in forward Jonathan Kuminga, who’s about to become a restricted free agent, and could become a sign-and-trade partner for the Warriors, echoing a report earlier this week from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
After weeks of speculation, there still doesn’t appear to be a clear favorite to land Durant, who’s widely expected to be dealt before the first night of the NBA draft on Wednesday. Stein and Fischer state that the Spurs and Rockets haven’t seen a need to increase their offers, being reluctant to add an older player to their young cores and knowing that Phoenix wants to resolve the situation quickly. The Timberwolves are still interested, but are hesitant to go all in with their offer without some indication that Durant would consider an extension.
Stein and Fischer share more inside information from around the league:
- A source tells the authors that the Sixers are currently expected to hold onto their No. 3 pick in the draft. They add that Philadelphia is still interested in trading up with San Antonio to grab Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, but the Spurs appear set on keeping the No. 2 selection. The report on the Sixers’ plans came before news broke late Wednesday that Ace Bailey has called off his scheduled workout with the team.
- Stein and Fischer point out that the guaranteed contract for the No. 3 choice will add an $11.1MM salary to the Sixers‘ books next season. Sources tell them that Philadelphia plans to operate either near or above the second apron as they hope for improved health from Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey. Stein and Fischer expect Kelly Oubre, Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon to all pick up their player options, and sources tell them that re-signing Quentin Grimes remains an offseason priority. They add that it will become “increasingly challenging” to retain big man Guerschon Yabusele, who’s expected to draw strong interest on the free agent market.
- Stein and Fischer hear that Cooper Flagg was “impressive” this week as he traveled to Dallas to meet with general manager Nico Harrison, coach Jason Kidd and other Mavericks officials. Flagg also worked out for about an hour, displaying the skills that have made him a lock to be the No. 1 pick.
Heat Notes: Durant, Wiggins, Ware, Burks
Although the Heat remain engaged with the Suns on forward Kevin Durant, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 stated during a radio appearance on Monday that Miami’s offer isn’t where it needs to be to seriously entice Phoenix.
“I have to preface this by saying that offers change. (But) right now, this is what I know, this is as of today. Miami wouldn’t be able to get a deal done today,” Gambadoro said (Twitter video link). “Deals change. You go back to the table, you go back to the drawing board. If you want the guy really bad, you then take guys out (of the offer) and add other guys, or add more draft capital.”
Gambadoro went on to say that the Suns probably aren’t very interested in taking back Andrew Wiggins, who is coming off a down year and is owed more than $58MM over the next two seasons (Twitter video link). He also suggested he’s not sure how much Kel’el Ware would move the needle for Phoenix, though he acknowledged that Miami would be improving its chances of landing Durant by adding the young big man to its offer.
For what it’s worth, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic wrote today that the Suns are struggling to gain leverage in their trade negotiations due to Durant’s age, contract situation, and desire for a fresh start with a new team. Phoenix may have to lower its asking price in order to get a deal done, according to Rankin.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- While Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are obviously off limits in the Durant trade talks, no one on the Heat’s roster should be considered entirely untouchable for the right player, draft asset, or combination of both, says Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Winderman runs through the players currently under contract with Miami, evaluating their trade value and considering what sort of scenarios it would take to move them.
- In two more stories for the Sun Sentinel, Winderman explains why Durant having the Heat on his wish list only means so much and argues that Miami should set a self-imposed deadline to either acquire Durant or move onto other pursuits.
- During an appearance on Tuesday at a Miami-area basketball camp, veteran guard Alec Burks said he remains focused on re-signing with the Heat this offseason and would love to reach an agreement with the team before the end of the month, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald relays. “I just like being here,” Burks said. “I like the city. The city shows me a lot of love and my family, I like the organization, everybody I work with. It’s just a great place to be for this stage of my career. I like being here.” Playing on a minimum-salary contract in 2024/25, Burks averaged 7.3 points in 17.6 minutes per game across 49 outings, with a career-high 42.5% mark on three-point tries.
Suns, Wolves Hoping Durant Warms To Minnesota Possibility
Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Monday that Kevin Durant has “no desire” to be traded to the Timberwolves, but the Suns and Wolves are still hoping he’ll warm to the idea, league sources tell Sam Amick and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
Durant doesn’t have the ability to veto a trade, so Phoenix and Minnesota would be free to work out an agreement that sends the former MVP to the Timberwolves, even if he’s unwilling to immediately sign an extension with his new team.
However, after advancing to the Western Conference Finals in each of the past two seasons, the Wolves are reluctant to make a significant roster change if the incoming star isn’t on board, according to Amick and Krawczynski, who note that Rudy Gobert‘s enthusiasm for Minnesota was one reason president of basketball operations Tim Connelly gave up a substantial haul to acquire the big man in 2022.
As The Athletic’s duo writes, the Wolves believed when they spoke with the Suns at the trade deadline in February that Durant was open to playing in Minnesota, given his friendship with Anthony Edwards, his D.C.-area ties with Connelly, and the opportunity to team up with Jaden McDaniels, whose defensive prowess would reduce the pressure on KD at that end of the court. However, the Wolves have been made aware during their recent discussions with the Suns that Durant wants to play elsewhere.
Durant reportedly prefers to end up with the Spurs, Rockets, or Heat – and San Antonio may be atop that list, per The Athletic – but the offers from those teams haven’t been especially compelling from the Suns’ perspective, as Amick and Krawczynski explain. If Durant were more enthusiastic about Minnesota, the Wolves could feel more confident about making an aggressive play for him, which may in turn inspire another suitor to increase its bid.
“Phoenix is trying to drum up better offers,” one rival executive told The Athletic.
The Rockets have had “meaningful” talks with the Suns about Durant and have put a firm offer on the table, but Phoenix was underwhelmed by that proposal, according to Amick and Krawczynski, who hear from league sources that San Antonio has been “conservative” in its pursuit of the 15-time All-Star.
As for the Heat, it’s unclear whether they have the right pieces to really entice the Suns, since salary-matching veterans such as Andrew Wiggins and/or Duncan Robinson are unlikely to hold significant appeal to Phoenix.
While the Suns are said to have interest in Gobert, it remains to be seen whether the Timberwolves would be willing to put the four-time Defensive Player of the Year into their offer for Durant, The Athletic’s duo notes. The Wolves would likely be even more hesitant to put Gobert on the table if Durant remains opposed to the idea of becoming a Timberwolf.
Shams: KD Has ‘No Desire’ To Be Traded To Timberwolves
Appearing on SportsCenter (YouTube link), ESPN’s Shams Charania said Suns star Kevin Durant has no interest in joining the team that is rumored to be the most aggressive in pursuit of him.
“I’m told Durant has no desire to be in Minnesota with the Timberwolves,” Charania said. “So how does that shape how the Minnesota Timberwolves and other teams that could have interest, that are outside of his preferred list, decide how to move forward with these Durant discussions?”
In an NBA Today appearance that included Charania, Brian Windhorst and Marc J. Spears (YouTube link), Charania indicated the Suns have some interest in Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. Windhorst anticipated that the Timberwolves’ trade offer for Durant could drop if they’re unsure about their ability to sign him to an extension. According to Spears, Durant had the Knicks at the top of his wish list but the Knicks weren’t interested in pursuing him, so the Rockets, Heat and Spurs became his fallback options.
The Suns obviously don’t need Durant’s permission to trade him to the Timberwolves, but mutual respect between Phoenix’s front office and the longtime All-Star could play a role in where he winds up. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) speculates that Durant and his rep may need to strongly discourage a team such as Minnesota from trading for him in order for him to land at a preferred destination.
Windhorst also previously identified the Raptors and Clippers as teams that are “lurking” in the Durant trade saga.
As for the Spurs, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype names Jeremy Sochan, as well as Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson, as players who could be obtained on the trade market. Sochan, who averaged 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists this season, is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason. Throwing a 22-year-old player into the mix could sweeten the offer for Durant from San Antonio’s perspective.
Coaching Rumors: Dudley, Bryant, Cavs, Sweeney, Ivey, More
Memphis and Phoenix have already been linked to Mavericks assistant coach Jared Dudley this offseason. The Cavaliers have also expressed interest in hiring Dudley, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype observes, Cleveland has multiple coaching openings after assistants Jordan Ott, DeMarre Caroll and Bryan Tibaldi got new jobs. The organization’s G League coach, Chris Darnell, also landed a new position in Sacramento.
In addition to confirming Cleveland’s interest in Dudley, Scotto adds former Cavaliers forward Jawad Williams as another name to monitor. Williams has been an assistant coach and director of player development with the Kings since 2023.
Cleveland’s top assistant, Johnnie Bryant, was a finalist for Phoenix’s head coaching job alongside Ott. Bryant is expected to stay with the Cavs next season, according to Scotto.
Here are a few more coaching rumors from around the NBA:
- The Spurs remain in pursuit of Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, league sources tell Stein. Sweeney is Jason Kidd‘s top assistant in Dallas and would have a similar role on Mitch Johnson‘s staff in San Antonio if he’s hired away, Stein reports. Sweeney has interviewed for multiple head coaching jobs in recent years, including Phoenix’s vacancy, which ultimately went to Ott.
- According to Stein, “multiple teams” — including the Spurs — have expressed interest in Rockets assistant Royal Ivey this offseason, but the former NBA guard is expected to remain in Houston. Ivey, who interviewed for Phoenix’s top job and coached South Sudan’s national team during the 2024 Olympics, has also drawn interest from the Grizzlies, Scotto reports. In addition to the previously reported names, Heat assistant Wayne Ellington is another candidate to join the Grizzlies’ staff, Scotto adds.
- The Pelicans are believed to be looking for an assistant coach who specializes in player development after Dan Geriot left New Orleans to take the head coaching job at Iona, according to Scotto.
Windhorst: Timberwolves Most Aggressive In Pursuit Of Kevin Durant
The Timberwolves have been the team most aggressively pursuing Kevin Durant in trade talks so far, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this morning during an appearance on Get Up (Twitter video link). Windhorst notes that Minnesota made a strong push to acquire Durant from the Suns before the February trade deadline to team him with Anthony Edwards, and that effort has been renewed this offseason.
Windhorst identifies the Raptors and Clippers as teams that are “lurking” in the Durant trade saga, with Toronto offering the ninth pick in this year’s draft along with combinations of players in “multiple different scenarios.”
A list of Durant’s preferred destinations leaked over the weekend, with the Spurs, Rockets and Heat said to be the only teams he would considering signing an extension with. However, Windhorst hears that those three teams “have not made offers that have gotten Phoenix excited.” A report on Sunday indicated that the Suns are more focused on maximizing their return in a Durant trade than sending him someplace he wants to go.
Sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) that the Raptors are willing to give up either RJ Barrett or Immanuel Quickley to upgrade their roster, and several league figures have said they would consider including Jakob Poeltl as well if it means getting Durant in return. Phoenix is reportedly seeking a starting-level center for next season, and the Durant deal might be the best opportunity to acquire one.
Fischer reports that Toronto’s No. 9 selection is being viewed around the league as “perhaps the most likely top-10 pick in the draft to be traded.” He adds that the Raptors would prefer not to move out of the first round completely, so the Suns’ choice at No. 29 could be part of the deal.
Phoenix would love to get Ivica Zubac, Fischer adds, but the Clippers consider him off limits. However, he notes that L.A. has two future first-round picks and some swap rights that it could offer along with Norman Powell, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones.
Fischer doesn’t expect the Grizzlies to get involved in the Durant chase, even though they have a fresh collection of draft assets from Sunday’s Desmond Bane trade. He notes that Memphis was reluctant to pursue Jimmy Butler before the deadline because of fears that he wouldn’t sign an extension, and Durant is probably viewed the same way.
Addressing the Suns’ desire for a center, Fischer states that the team has done background work on Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis in case he’s made available. Fischer also hears that Phoenix would be interested in free agent Myles Turner if he doesn’t re-sign with the Pacers.
Bulls, Heat Linked To Jonathan Kuminga Sign-And-Trades
The Bulls and Heat both have interest in potential sign-and-trade deals for Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Kuminga, who’s eligible for restricted free agency in two weeks, is looking for an “expanded and consistent role” after watching his playing time with Golden State fluctuate throughout the season and the playoffs, Scotto adds.
Scotto notes that the Warriors engaged in trade talks with Chicago regarding center Nikola Vucevic prior to February’s deadline. He now has a $21.48MM expiring contract, and he would provide Golden State with the scoring big man it has been lacking.
Vucevic will turn 35 in October, but he has remained durable and productive, appearing in 73 games this season and averaging 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 31.2 minutes per night. Vucevic also shot 40.2% from three-point range and would appear to be a comfortable fit in Steve Kerr‘s offense.
Scotto states that the 22-year-old Kuminga would be a much better fit than Vucevic for a Bulls team that wants to get younger. He fills an obvious need as an athletic power forward, and he would have a chance to put up big numbers in Billy Donovan‘s up-tempo system.
Scotto describes Kuminga as a “fallback option” for Miami, which is placing a greater priority on Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available while working to acquire Kevin Durant from the Suns. If those pursuits fall through, the Heat could turn their attention to Kuminga as they search for more talent to combine with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.
Kuminga wasn’t able to reach an extension agreement with the Warriors last summer, but he looked ready to be a long-term fixture with the team before suffering a severe right ankle sprain in early January that sidelined him for more than two months. By the time he returned, Golden State had traded for Jimmy Butler, which changed the dynamic of the organization.
Kuminga didn’t play at all in the Warriors’ final game, which they needed to win to avoid the play-in tournament, and he was barely used in the first round of the playoffs, except for a brief stretch when Butler was injured.
Regular playing time has been an ongoing issue for Kuminga, who met with Kerr during the middle of the 2023/24 season to express his frustrations. Scotto notes that Kuminga was involved in trade talks when Golden State had hopes of landing Durant in February, and there’s a sense that he might benefit from a change of teams.