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The talk surrounding Damian Lillard wanting to play for the Miami Heat has reached a deafening pitch.
The superstar point guard has played 11 seasons in the league, spending all of them with the Portland Trail Blazers, but he has done his share of contributing to the rumors surrounding he and the Heat this offseason.
First, on an episode of Showtime’s “The Last Stand,” Dame listed the Heat as one of the few franchises he’d be interested in playing for. “Miami is the obvious one, and Bam (Adebayo) is my dawg. Bam is my dawg for real. Miami is the obvious one,” Lillard said on June 7.
Then, a few weeks later on June 23, Lillard blasted the late 1990s pop classic “Miami” by Will Smith during an IG live segment. His agent told The Athletic that “The music was just a coincidence,” but it’s hard not to read just a tad into that one.
Naturally, with all the talk, trade proposals have been popping up like dandelions and the latest from Bleacher Report has Miami parting with its first-round pick this year, Jaime Jaquez Jr, along with forward Tyler Herro and veteran guard Kyle Lowry in exchange for Dame.
Bleacher Report Has Miami Sending Loads to Portland in Trade Proposal
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes proposed the following trade in his recent column, calling it a “realistic” one:
- Miami Heat Receive: Damian Lillard
- Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, Jaime Jaquez Jr., 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick
Hughes thinks a young trio of potential scorers and facilitators including Herro, Shaedon Sharpe and No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson might be enough to get a deal rolling from Portland’s perspective.
“Miami gets its third star in Lillard to pair with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and the Blazers pivot into the rebuild so many have been clamoring for,” Hughes proposed on June 25, also noting Miami would likely be glad to free itself from Lowry’s hefty contract. “The pain of taking on Lowry’s expiring $29.6 million salary will be short-lived, leaving Portland with Herro, Henderson and Sharpe in the backcourt, plus massive cap relief starting in 2024-25,” he added.
Lillard’s Contract Might Motivate Blazers to Move on
Miami is rumored to be in the market for a superstar after falling short in the NBA Finals this year, so adding a player of Dame’s caliber is likely, and considering his own admitted interest, he’s the definite frontrunner.
Lillard is fresh from a career year, scoring 32.2 points a game, which ranked third in the NBA. He also neared career-highs in assists (7.3 per game) and rebounding (4.8). He missed some time with a calf injury, starting 58 games, but at 33, he still should have several impactful years left.
Lillard has two more years remaining on his four-year, $177 million contract and is due $45.6 million next season and $49 million in 2024-25. “Call it cold and dispassionate, but the Blazers should move him now, before his value dips. Miami, forever in search of instant superstar gratification, is the right landing spot,” Hughes added.
Herro Will Likely Be Part of Any Major Heat Trade
Would Miami be willing to part with its No. 18 overall pick in Jaquez and two other future first-round picks to land Dame? With the team in win-now mode, absolutely.
Herro will be a likely part of any trade the Heat will make, as he’s young (23), has potential to grow into a more complete player and has proven to be a non-essential part of Miami’s roster after missing the team’s playoff run due to injury.
In 67 games last season, Herro scored 20.1 points and had career highs in assists (4.2) and rebounds (5.4), so he’d be a desirable piece in most trade scenarios. Whether he’s part of a trade involving Lillard remains a question mark, but he’ll likely be dealt if — or when — Miami nabs another star.
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