Oklahoma City has asked the Heat for multiple young, valuable assets in trade conversations involving guard Russell Westbrook, and Miami - at least to this point - has refused, according to a league source briefed on the discussions by one of the teams.
OKC has asked the Heat to include impressive rookie guard Tyler Herro in the proposed trade, but the Heat has been very reluctant to do that. Because Herro signed with the Heat on Wednesday, he cannot be included in any trade for 30 days, but that isn’t viewed as an obstacle.
At another point in the discussions this week, the Thunder asked the Heat to include two among Herro, Bam Adebayo and Justise Winslow, according to a source in touch with one of the two teams. The Heat also is opposed to including Adebayo, whom Erik Spoelstra ranked among the best centers in the league in the final months of last season.
Though the Heat very much would like to add Westbrook, those OKC demands had resulted in a stalement in conversations as of Wednesday evening.
Whether the Heat would be willing to include Winslow remains to be seen. Though the Heat is pleased with Winslow and views him as a core piece, his value might be diminished somewhat with Westbrook here because Winslow does some of his best work while playing on the ball - an opportunity which would come less frequently with Westbrook on the Heat.
Keep holding your breath fuck niggas