Getty Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers says it's Miami or bust.
Will current Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard end up with the Miami Heat? It’s the pressing question of the NBA offseason so far, and according to multiple recent reports, we may not have an answer anytime soon.
Lillard, who turns 33 on July 15, officially requested a trade from the only team he has ever played for, the Trail Blazers announced via statement on July 1. Lillard has also made no secret about where he wants to go next.
“Damian Lillard only wants to play for the Miami Heat,” NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic told The Rally on July 3, before noting Miami remains the favorite to land Dame. “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.”
Charania then revealed that one or perhaps two other teams will likely be involved in a trade for Dame when it happens — which is probably because the Blazers don’t want some of the players Miami is offering up in trade negotiations.
Tyler Herro a Roadblock to Deal?
Portland hasn’t been impressed with Miami’s trade offers, per @wojespn
The Blazers have no interest in Tyler Herro
Another top NBA insider, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, said on SportsCenter on July 4 that Heat guard Tyler Herro’s inclusion in trade packages has Portland balking. “Portland doesn’t have interest in bringing in Tyler Herro,” Woj said, adding:
“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.”
How much sway does Lillard have in Portland? That remains to be seen. Multiple insiders have suggested it’s Miami or bust for Dame, who does not have a no-trade clause.
A seven-time All-Star, the veteran point guard has played in 769 regular season games over his 11 years in the league and has racked up career averages of 25.2 points, 6.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds. Last year, Dame finished with a career-high 32.2 points, 7.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game, but he has yet to win an NBA championship, or even reach the finals.
Portland has made it to the Western Conference finals just once in Lillard’s career, and the team made it to the semis three times in those 11 years. The Heat have made three appearances in the NBA finals over the last 10 years, although the team hasn’t won a championship since the 2012-13 season.
Shams: Blazers Could Net Several 1st Rounders for Dame
“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.
Since Portland doesn’t seem interested in Herro, who is one of Miami’s top trade chips, the Heat may have to find another team — or perhaps two — who may want Herro and would also be willing to part ways with draft capital.
“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 in a Lillard trade,” said Charania.
Lillard’s contract certainly wouldn’t be a long term commitment for the Heat. The Blazers vet is due $45.7 million next year and $48.8 million in 2024-25, when he has a player option. The Heat can afford that, particularly if he can help bring another championship to South Beach.
Another insider also noted the Heat weren’t going to make any major roster moves until the situation with Dame is resolved.
According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, “Miami has privately conveyed that it has put additional player acquisitions on hold, at least for now, while working to find a Lillard package that’s acceptable to the Blazers, according to an agent who has spoken with the Heat’s front office.”
We’ll see if Miami has success in finding another trade partner or two, because it appears to be the only way Lillard will get his wish.