Erik Spoelstra Told Kevin Durant In 2016 That Miami Heat Could 'Unlock His Game' Like They Did With LeBron James

Kevin Durant has not admitted to any regrets over his decision to join the Warriors in 2016, but he had several alternatives to consider that summer. The Miami Heat were one of those potential destinations and they tried to lure in Durant by using the success of LeBron James. 

"All the way back in 2016, Spoelstra made a presentation to Durant showing him how the Heat could unlock his efficiency like they did with LeBron," wrote Miami insider 5ReasonsSports.

While LeBron has been effective on the court for over 20 years now, he had some of his best years with the Heat, under Erik Spoelstra and his coaching staff. While we know that James tried to get the guy fired at some point, Spo is a basketball coaching savant who has earned the ultimate job security in Miami. 

Under his guidance and leadership, LeBron averaged 26.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 6.7 assists per game on 54% shooting from the field. The Miami Heat were the best team in the East for each of his four years there and won back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013 alongside Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.

LeBron himself deserves the most credit for elevating his game and completely dominating the field but he was in a great situation with the Heat, who had already established a winning culture years before the King's arrival. So by the time LeBron signed on, it was almost impossible for him to fail.

Spoelstra likely would have opened up the game in a similar way for Kevin Durant, and the Heat would have surrounded him with a roster worthy of his superstar talents. Of course, in the end, it wasn't enough to sway the 6'11" forward and he signed with the Warriors instead.

Kevin Durant's Decision Changed The NBA Forever

Second, only to LeBron's infamous announcement in 2010, the "decision" of Kevin Durant in the summer of 2016 is a moment that every modern basketball fan remembers. Durant had several choices that year, including the Heat, the Knicks, and a return back to his home-town team after blowing a 3-1 series lead over the Golden State Warriors.

But instead of going somewhere where he can grow and enhance his legacy, Durant did arguably the only thing that would potentially damage it. He joined the Warriors, who had won 73 games the season before and completely broke the NBA's balance of power. 

After announcing his decision on July 4th, Durant received a firestorm of hate and criticism from angry fans who blamed him for ruining parity in the NBA. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat had to look elsewhere for their star power and they managed to make nearly as many Finals appearances as Durant did over the past seven years.

Looking back, the case can be made that Durant would have been better off with the Miami Heat that summer but it's a scenario we'll never see play out for real. At 36 years old, Durant is likely on the last stop of his NBA career and he's on a trajectory right now that may prove too difficult for him to recover from.

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