NBA Rumors: KD-Heat connection, Giannis trade buzz, Paul George latest

We have been treated to some excellent basketball in the NBA Playoffs, but as always, it's important to keep one eye on the future. The offseason landscape is taking shape right in front of us. Every series lost or won has implications. We can start with the Phoenix Suns, who are in panic mode following a four-game sweep suffered against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Here are the latest NBA rumors that merit your full attention.

NBA rumors: Clippers expected to re-sign Paul George in offseason

The Los Angeles Clippers hammered out a four-year extension for Kawhi Leonard during the regular season, but could never strike up a similar deal with Paul George. He will enter the summer as an unrestricted free agent, capable of leaving for greener pastures if his so chooses. The Clippers are currently tied 2-2 with the Dallas Mavericks, with George averaging 21.0 points and 5.0 assists on .453/.424/.800 splits in 36.9 minutes across four games.

It hasn't been perfect, but George has been pleasantly productive and efficient for a Clippers team that has outperformed expectations amid Kawhi Leonard's injury woes. George has been a pillar of the Clippers' lineup for five years now. With a new arena on the horizon, Los Angeles surely wants to keep him around. It's all a matter of finding a price both sides can agree on.

According to Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus, multiple NBA sources expect George to re-sign in the offseason. The Philadelphia 76ers are an obvious destination should George decide to leave — Daryl Morey will have roughly $60 million in cap space to play with — but George's age and injury history could dissuade the Sixers from making a suitable long-term commitment. If the Clippers don't fall on the wrong side of a bidding war and exercise their Bird rights, it's hard to imagine George leaving his hometown squad.

Things can change, of course, and the Clippers need to ponder the viability of a top-heavy lineup built around aging, oft-injured stars. But, at the same time, Los Angeles just doesn't have a better alternative. It's better to re-sign George and potentially trade than to lose him for nothing. As long as the financial commitment is within the realm of reason for a top-30 player, expect the Clippers to eventually work out the details.

NBA rumors: Giannis Antetokounmpo's availability will be monitored this offseason

The Milwaukee Bucks are on the wrong side of a 3-1 series against the Indiana Pacers. With the availability of Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo in doubt moving forward, it's hard to imagine the Bucks overcoming their exceedingly long odds. Indiana has controlled this matchup all season and the Bucks are too battered to recover.

As is the annual NBA tradition, teams are gearing up to make a run at Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available. It's an admittedly far-fetched idea — last summer, Giannis inked an extension that runs through the 2026-27 season — but on the off chance Antetokounmpo demands change, it's worth keeping your eyes peeled.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported on The Hoop Collective that Antetokounmpo's name "comes up very, very early, if not right off the bat," when talking to teams with a "stockpile" of trade assets.

There is no indication that Giannis will force his way out, but the two-time MVP has made his mandate to win very public. The Bucks are built to win, but their limited success since Doc Rivers' arrival has set off alarm bells. Milwaukee won't part with Giannis until absolutely necessary — most small markets wait decades for the faint opportunity to land a superstar of Giannis' stature — but if Antetokounmpo declares his intention to leave, things will get messy.

A Giannis trade qualifies as extremely unlikely at the moment, but as always, NBA teams are biding their time, waiting for the opportunity to strike if Giannis does indeed force his way to a new franchise.

NBA rumors: Erik Spoelstra made compelling Heat pitch to Kevin Durant in 2016

Once upon a time, before Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to team up with a dynasty in Golden State, the Miami Heat were on the superstar's radar. Erik Spoelstra made his pitch to Durant in 2016, centered on the Heat's ability to "unlock his efficiency," as they did with LeBron James during the 'Big Three' era.

With the Suns' season going up in flames, this feels like a convenient time to circle back to that potential partnership. We are a long way from Durant requesting a trade and forcing his way out of Phoenix, but the Suns have to be looking down the pipeline with mild trepidation right now. Under the new CBA, it will be extremely difficult to build out this roster around Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.

The latest buzz is that Booker has his eyes on New York. We know Durant has a history of jumping ship when the going gets tough. That's not a shot at Durant — he has every right to exercise autonomy over his career arc — but if the Suns are hurdling toward the infinite void of space, perhaps Durant surveys his options elsewhere in the league.

Miami made a run at Damian Lillard last summer, but the Blazers rejected those advances. Durant doesn't have the contract leverage to hand-pick his destination, but the Heat would certainly be in the running if Durant tried to force his way out (or, if the Suns decided to blow it up).

The Heat offer two bonafide All-Stars in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, as well as the league's most highly regarded coach in Spo. Time and time, Miami has performed above its means and exceeded expectations in the postseason. Durant would love to bolster his Hall of Fame resumé with a championship outside the confines of Golden State's juggernaut.

No team is better at maximizing aging stars and flawed supporting casts. Miami runs an extrmeley tight ship, but Durant is a notoriously hard worker and a lover of basketball. He'd embrace the Heat Culture, and he'd probably enjoy the South Beach vibe as much as the next guy.

Only time will tell how much longer Durant sticks it out in Phoenix, but with the Suns imploding in real time, the Heat are worth monitoring.