Getty Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers wants to be traded to the Heat -- and only the Heat.
The Damian Lillard trade is rumored to have more wrinkles than a Shar-Pei, which is likely why it hasn’t been completed yet.
Lillard, of course, has made it clear he wants to be traded to the Miami Heat — and only the Heat. According to ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, “is telling organizations outside of Miami that trading for Lillard is trading for an unhappy player.”
Multiple insiders have also reported that the Heat alone won’t have enough to sway Portland in a trade for Lillard, with the Brooklyn Nets emerging as likely trade partner in a potential 3-team scenario.
Heat insider Greg Sylvander of 5 on the Floor added yet another new wrinkle: the Nets want to unload former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons in the deal, but other teams are balking at that idea.
Miami ‘Continues to’ Work on Deal for Dame, Sylvander Says
With the Heat needing to find a receptive third team in trade talks, the Nets stand out as an obvious candidate if they’re also able to offload Ben Simmons.
Miami actually has an exact salary match to acquire both Lillard and Simmons in potential multi-team packages:
Lillard +…
Lillard was drafted by Portland sixth overall in 2012, and he has spent his entire career there, making seven All-Star teams in 11 seasons. A championship ring is the one thing that is eluded him, though, and he seems to think going to Miami is his best chance at fixing that.
There are a few hurdles that seem to be in his path to South Beach, however.
“As Dame to Miami deal continues to be worked on, I’m told at least one challenge in negotiations has been the fact BKN wants to ship out Ben Simmons as part of this deal,” Sylvander tweeted on July 4. “The sticking point being that no team is particularly interested in taking him so far, per source.”
Simmons Is Coming Off Rough Few Years
Simmons, who turns 27 on July 20, has had a tumultuous past few years to say the least. He was a three-time All-Star from 2018-2021 and he inked a five-year, $170 million max extension in 2019, but after a Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals in the 2021 playoffs, things changed.
Simmons played for the Philadelphia 76ers at the time, and his then-teammate Joel Embiid made post-game comments that were considered to be critical of Simmons. In addition, former Sixers coach Doc Rivers didn’t endorse Simmons when given the opportunity, which ultimately to the young guard demanding a trade.
The former No. 1 pick held out at the start of his 2021 campaign before getting traded to the Nets as part of the James Harden trade later that season. A back injury prevented him from competing at all that year, and his performance the following season (2022-23) left much to be desired.
Limited by back and knee soreness last year, his numbers weren’t great. Simmons average 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game, all career lows (stats via Basketball Reference). Would his contract and rocky past be worth taking on if you’re the Heat?
Could Heat ‘Fix’ Ben Simmons?
Former power forward and current analyst for NBC Sports Boston, Brian Scalabrine went on record in 2021, saying the Heat were one of few teams who could get Simmons back to All-Star form.
“I think the Miami Heat can fix him. I really believe that. I don’t think a lot of organizations can fix him. I think the Miami Heat could,” Scalabrine said on SiriusXM NBA Radio, adding: “Erik Spoelstra is not like a traditional coach. He’ll run wacky things for Ben Simmons. … I’m telling you, the Miami he could fix him, and Erik Spoelstra as a coach can fix Ben Simmons.”
Where will Ben Simmons be playing next season?
@Scalabrine thinks the Miami Heat would be a great spot
Simmons led the NBA in steals in the 2019-2020 season (2.1 per game), and he was a solid two-way player for four years, averaging 15.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists from 2017-2021.
Scalabrine has a solid point about Spoelstra, who is widely considered to be one of the league’s best coaches. If anyone could get the most out of Simmons, it’s Coach Spo. Miami could also afford his $38 million salary next season, particularly if it unloads a few players in the trade.
It will all come down to how serious the Nets are about including Simmons in any three-team trade involving the Heat and Blazers. We’ll know soon enough.
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Former No. 1 Overall Pick Said to Be Part of Damian Lillard Trade: Report