Miami, FL
Analyst: Suns Will Trade Kevin Durant to Heat
PHOENIX — A new horizon has arrived for the Phoenix Suns after experiencing one of the most shockingly disappointing seasons in the history of the NBA.
The shake-up that was promised has already resulted in the firing of Mike Budenholzer and the promotion of Brian Gregory to general manager – roster moves could be next up for an organization that has now experienced multiple seasons of turmoil.
Enter Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report – who predicted what will happen of the biggest stars that have come up in trade rumors in recent months over the course of the summer – Kevin Durant included.
“The Suns have to do something to move past a disappointing 36-46 season in which they paid over $350 million in roster and luxury-tax costs. Trading Durant is perhaps the easiest way to shake things up,” said Swartz.
Durant’s departure from Phoenix has felt to be an inevitability ever since reports surfaced that the organization nearly traded the megastar ahead of the February deadline – now both sides can gain closure on each of their own terms.
“ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs all had interest in Durant at the trade deadline before Phoenix decided to keep the 15-time All-Star,” he continued.
Swartz then eliminated several of the franchises either due to outside circumstances, or the franchises looking elsewhere for upgrades.
“The Rockets and Spurs have the assets to go after Durant, but both should be prioritizing younger stars to grow with their cores. Durant will turn 37 in September. New York is low on draft picks after the Mikal Bridges deal and shouldn’t be in a hurry to shake up what’s become a strong starting five led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.”
Houston’s true interest in Durant has been disputed by numerous outlets, while the Spurs could make a move for Durant without giving up Victor Wembanyama or De’Aaron Fox. The Knicks could make sense if the asset pool was stronger, but a general lack of trade picks and the likely unwillingness to part with Karl-Anthony Towns makes a deal unlikely.
The process of elimination leaves two prime contenders in the race to acquire Durant – at least in the eyes of Swartz.
“That leaves the Timberwolves and Heat as the most likely destinations, although one should be far more desperate than the other. With Minnesota still alive in the playoffs and Miami swept out in the first round, the Heat should already be placing calls to new Suns general manager Brian Gregory about acquiring Durant,” he said.
The Heat possess a surprisingly robust collection of intriguing prospects – namely Kel’el Ware and Nikola Jovic. Andrew Wiggins and Terry Rozier could serve as matching contracts that contribute to the Suns remaining competitive through the supposed ‘retool’ – it also doesn’t hurt that the Heat have been on Durant’s radar in the past.
Does Durant still have a desire to play in Miami after a rough season for the franchise all-around? Does Pat Riley believe that a Durant/Bam Adebayo/Tyler Herro arrangement is a contender? Would the Heat willingly part with Ware?
There are certainly many pressing questions involved in the process, but Miami could very well be the most desperate to take a home-run swing.
It is also worth noting that Swartz believes Devin Booker will sign an extension with the Suns and remain with the franchise – which is the overwhelmingly expected outcome in the coming weeks.
Miami, FL
5 arrested in undercover teen sex trafficking bust in Miami, authorities say
Five men are facing charges after an undercover teen sex trafficking investigation in Miami, authorities said.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force and Miami Police Department’s Special Investigations Section had posed as a mother to offered her daughters, ages 13 and 15, for sexual services in exchange for money, arrest reports said.
The five suspects agreed to pay for sex and when they showed up at a hotel for the encounter they were taken into custody by tactical officers, the reports said.
“I knew it, I knew, I knew that it was this,” one suspect kept repeating in Spanish as he was taken into custody, the reports said.
When the suspect’s duffel bag was searched officers found 18 condoms, 7 different lubricants and lotions, adult toys and bondage restraints, among other items, the reports said.
Another suspect said he’d never engaged in that type of activity before and “requested forgiveness,” the reports said.
The five face charges including human trafficking, records showed.
Miami, FL
Miami-Dade deputies detain elderly father who they say shot and killed his son after a domestic dispute
A 75-year-old man has been detained after Miami-Dade deputies say he shot and killed his son after a domestic dispute in Palmetto Bay.
This happened, according to investigators, at approximately 4:49 p.m. in the area of SW 168th Street and 92nd Avenue.
When deputies arrived, they found the elderly man, who had not yet been identified, and immediately detained him for questioning.
Afterwards, they conducted a security sweep and found an adult male, 47, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
Deputies say this isn’t the first time they have responded to the home.
“We have responded to this particular residence in the past due to mental health-type incidents,” MDSO PIO Detective Argemis “AC” Colome said.
Deputies say the dispatcher heard a dispute happening over the phone during the 911 call, but it’s unclear what led to the shooting and who was having the mental health crisis.
“The individual who shot was the father, and the male deceased on the scene was the son,” Colome said.
Neighbors reacted to this family tragedy with shock.
“So sad, a little bit concerned cause maybe you’re, you know, you’re staying somewhere, and you don’t know what’s actually happening at the other houses,” Giorgos Kollilekas, who lives in the area, said.
Colome said that there is no danger to the community as this was the result of a domestic dispute.
“There’s always help, please, there’s a lot of hotlines, there’s a lot of numbers. You can call us. At the end of the day, getting help early can mitigate situations like this,” Colome said.
No other information has been released, including the identities of those involved or what caused the dispute.
The investigation is ongoing.
Miami, FL
Cain, Kushner launch South Florida JV with plans for Edgewater rental tower
Cain and Kushner are launching a South Florida real estate joint venture, planning a luxury apartment tower in Edgewater for their first project, The Real Deal has learned.
London-based Cain, led by Jonathan Goldstein, and New York-based Kushner, led by Laurent Morali and Nicole Kushner Meyer, plan a 40-story, 364-unit project on Cain’s 1.5-acre site at 614 and 720 Northeast 27th Street in Miami, according to a news release. The property is near the Missoni Baia condo tower that Cain co-developed with Vlad Doronin’s OKO Group.
BDT & MSD Partners provided a $42 million loan for the project, which is in the pre-development phase. Construction is expected to start late next year, the release says.
The Cain-Kushner JV is targeting residential and mixed-use investments and developments in the tri-county region.
“We are looking at all opportunities that we think are sensible,” Goldstein said.
Their South Florida JV comes as the region is experiencing another influx of out-of-staters after the pandemic-era boom, only this time the in-migration is primarily of wealthy individuals and their companies amid the blue-to-red-state migration.
Yet, Cain and Kushner’s plans for Edgewater apartments come as the multifamily market has softened due to hefty deliveries in recent years. A record 18,600 units were completed in 2024, outpacing leasing that year by about 20 percent, CoStar Group data shows. Although construction starts have slowed, last year’s 12,718 unit completions still surpassed total leasing for the year by about 1,000 apartments.
It has led to slower lease-ups, more concessions and a drop in the average asking rents across South Florida.
Developers starting projects now have said demand will catch up by the time they finish their buildings, with many adding that South Florida remains a strong apartment market. Many are betting on luxury rentals, which CoStar’s data showed made up the bulk of leasing in recent years.
“We are big believers in South Florida and big believers in Miami,” Goldstein said.
Cain, backed by Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries, has been investing in South Florida for nearly a decade, with the JV in some ways marking its second chapter in the region.
Cain’s most recent project is the Delano Miami Beach renovation. The hotel, which closed in 2020, is expected to reopen in time for the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix early next month.
Aside from the Missoni Baia condo tower, Cain also partnered with OKO on the Una Residences condo tower in Brickell and the 57-story 830 Brickell office tower. The office building was completed in 2024 fully pre-leased, catching a demand surge during the pandemic-era in-migration of out-of-state companies to Miami. Cain also is an investor in Doronin’s hospitality firm Aman Group.
Kushner has a presence in Miami’s Edgewater, completing the 37-story, 420-unit apartment tower at 2000 Biscayne Boulevard in 2024, with plans for more residential development next-door at 1900 Biscayne Boulevard. It also purchased the 276-unit Hamilton apartment building at 555 Northeast 34th Street from Aimco.
Elsewhere, Kushner plans a 932-unit multifamily development at 300 West Broward Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. It borrowed a $115 million construction loan last year for a luxury 68-unit apartment project in Surfside. And it scored approval in October for a 470-unit rental building and synagogue development near Hollywood’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
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