Back in June, numerous players in the college ranks had their lives changed, as they were selected in the 2025 NBA Draft.
This draft included two Illini players who were picked back-to-back in the first round. Kasparas Jakucionis was selected No. 20 overall by the Miami Heat, while Will Riley went to the Utah Jazz and was later traded to the Washington Wizards with pick No. 21.
That No. 20 selection by the Heat was not traded, unlike his former teammate Riley. Jakucionis remained with Miami, but he wasn’t on stable ground by any means.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Jakucionis was a key part in what could have been a blockbuster trade that was in the works.
In Jackson’s report on Friday, the Heat wanted Kevin Durant, along with Cody Martin, from the Phoenix Suns. The offer was Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier, Haywood Highsmith, Jaime Jaquez, and Jakucionis.
Per source with direct knowledge, Heat was willing to offer Wiggins, Rozier, Highsmith, Jaquez and 20th pick in June's draft for Durant & Cody Martin. Per Shams, Suns wanted Jaquez, Jović, Highsmith, 20th pick and a pick swap (as well as Wiggins/Rozier inclusion). SO...Jovic and…
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) August 15, 2025
The Suns countered and wanted all of those players, and they wanted to add in a pick swap as well as Nikola Jovic. That was too much for the Heat, and Miami ultimately turned the deal down.
Since the Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh era, Miami has been notorious for coming close to the big name but falling short. In this case, I think turning down that trade was probably best for the franchise.
Kasparas Jakucionis can be a building block in the retooling of the Miami Heat
I am not saying Jakucionis is going to be a superstar in the NBA. He had his ups and downs in the NBA Summer League, but at the end of the day, Miami was smart to turn down the Durant trade.
While Durant is still a walking bucket, averaging 26.6 points per game at the age of 36 years old, his defense has deteriorated, registering a -0.7 defensive box plus-minus this past season. That is the worst of his 17-year career thus far.
Instead of the Heat getting an aged Durant, they get to keep nice young pieces. Jakucionis has future starting point guard for the franchise written all over him. Jovic just finished up his third season and is only 22 years old. He averaged a career-high 10.7 points last season while hitting at least 37% from three-point range for his second straight season.
Honestly, those two were the big pieces in the trade. Everyone else is pretty disposable. Since the close trade, Highsmith has been traded to enable Miami to get under the first apron.
This had to be a hard decision for Miami. You had a chance to get one of the greatest players of all time in Durant, and all you had to do was add one more piece to the trade. Instead, the Heat have a nice young core led by Jakucionis.