Pat Riley will get in the room.
Probably.
According to ESPN, Kevin Durant has scheduled a meeting in the Hamptons with the Miami Heat on July 3rd.
That is after he meets with the Oklahoma City Thunder -- with which he is allowed to speak prior to July 1st -- and the Golden State Warriors. Durant is also reportedly planning to meet with the Spurs, Clippers and Celtics, with the Knicks and Lakers trying to squeeze into the mix.
While Bovada has given the Heat the third-best odds to land Durant, well behind the Warriors and even further behind the heavily-favored Thunder, the Heat's late meeting date is potentially problematic. Hassan Whiteside has already indicated that he wants his situation finalized on July 1st, and Dallas -- as ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon told me on 790 The Ticket on Tuesday -- is prepared to offer a maximum deal as soon as free agency opens.
Also, ESPN is reporting that Dwyane Wade's representatives have made it known that he could be available. The Heat not only want to re-sign Wade, but need to agree to terms relatively quickly, to reduce his $30 million cap hold to whatever his new number is. Miami's other option to renounce Wade, and return to him at the end of its dealings with other players, with whatever cap space remains.
If Durant leaves Oklahoma City, his new 2016-17 salary would almost certainly be the maximum of $26.7 million, which -- unless the Heat trade someone such as Goran Dragic or Josh McRoberts -- would leave Miami with under $15 million total for Wade, Whiteside and Luol Deng.
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