As rumors of a blockbuster trade for Damian Lillard continue to swirl around the Miami Heat, the front office has had its interest piqued by another player.
According to Greg Sylvander of “Five Reasons Sports,” the Heat are interested in Washington Wizards guard Landry Shamet.
“As this complicated multi team trade is being worked on to land Lillard in Miami, a player who Miami has expressed interest in, per source, is sharp shooter Landry Shamet who is now in Washington, Sylvander wrote.”
Shamet only recently joined the Wizards, as part of the trade that sent Bradley Beal — another rumored target of the Heat– to the Phoenix Suns.
The 26-year-old just wrapped up his fourth NBA season, his second in Phoenix. He played 40 games for the Suns last year, logging about 20.2 minutes each time. Shamet averaged 8.7 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 37.7% from both the field and from beyond the arc.
Through the first few seasons of his NBA career, Shamet has made a name for himself by knocking down the three ball. He’s shot it at a 38.8% clip, which is a number that should make him an interesting prospect for the Heat — a team who shot just 34.4% from beyond the arc, fourth-worst in the NBA.
Sylvander presented Miami’s interest in the four-year vet as if he’d be a piece coming back in a trade for Lillard. In that scenario, the Heat would have the option to keep Shamet through the end of the 2025-26 season.
He signed a four year, $42.5 million extension in Phoenix prior to the 2021-22 campaign, which includes a non-guaranteed $11 million in the 2024-25 season and a team option the following year.
Heat Trade for Damian Lillard Would Likely Require a Third Team
Ever since the idea of Lillard requesting a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers became a thing, Hea
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Portland has no interest in taking back Herro in a deal, meaning that the Heat would have to find another team to take him, or the Blazers would just prefer to trade with another team altogether.
“Portland doesn’t have interest in bringing in Tyler Herro,” Woj said on the July 4 edition of SportsCenter. “Their group already is built around young guards. So I think for Portland, they’re going to take their time with this process and start to build out what the best offers would be elsewhere. But when it comes to Miami, for the Blazers, their focus is elsewhere on getting maximum value for Dame Lillard.”
Damian Lillard ‘Only Wants to Play’ For the Heat
The whole Lillard situation is pretty strange considering that Portland needs to garner some sort of return to make it worth-while to trade him away. On the other hand, the star guard is making that nearly impossible because he’s highlighted Miami as the only team he wants to play for.
“Damian Lillard only wants to play for the Miami Heat,” NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic told The Rally on July 3.“This is gonna be a patient process. You’re going to see Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin go through the league and try to see what else he can get in the marketplace, but like James Harden, I think Damian Lillard is the caliber of player and at the age where a preferred destination is the likely path.”
“Damian Lillard only wants to play for the Miami Heat … I’m told there are 3- or 4-team scenarios in a deal with the Heat that would potentially net the Blazers several first-round draft picks.”
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania reports on Damian Lillard’s future.
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Heat Interested in Landing Former All-Rookie Guard in Trade: Report