Heat explores three-team deals to land Lillard. Portland canvassing the trade market
Two NBA superstars who asked for trades in recent years, the Lakers’ Anthony Davis and the Suns’ Kevin Durant, were traded precisely to the teams they requested to be dealt to.
At least initially, the Portland Trail Blazers haven’t been acting like a team particularly eager to immediately accommodate Damian Lillard’s request to be traded specifically to the Heat. But the Blazers were at least exploring three-team trade possibilities that could lead to that outcome.
As of midday Sunday, the Blazers had not conveyed to Lillard if they plan to honor his request to be traded to Miami, according to a source.
Publicly, the Blazers have made no such promises, either.
In fact, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Sunday that Portland is not specifically trying to accommodate Lillard’s Heat request and thus “Miami does not have any advantage” over the rest of the league in pursuit of the seven-time All Star point guard.
The Blazers are “open for business everywhere in the league,” Wojnarowski said.
But while listening to all offers, the Blazers also are open to discussing three-team permutations involving the Heat, if one can be found to their liking.
The Nets were contacted about taking Heat guard Tyler Herro in one such scenario and appear to have interest, as SNY-TV’s Ian Begley reported and a source corroborated. Herro, for his part, removed Heat references on his Twitter page.
Lillard holds one big leverage card: Other potential suitors know that he wants to play in Miami.
So would anyone make a serious offer knowing their team is not his preference, especially considering the money that Lillard is due (four years, $216 million)?
One involved source predicted that Lillard’s one-team list will deter other suitors and greatly increase his chances of ending up with the Heat.
Though Lillard last month told ESPN/Showtime host Brian Custer that the Heat and Nets would appeal to him, the Heat has emerged as Lillard’s clear preference among all teams, a source reiterated.
If Brooklyn becomes involved, “I think it would be as a facilitator,” ESPN front office insider and former Nets executive Bobby Marks said in a YouTube video. “I don’t see Brooklyn going all in for Lillard.”
What’s becoming clear is that a third team might be necessary for Lillard to end up in Miami.
“I don’t see a two-team trade for Miami and Portland,” Marks said. “If there was, it would have happened Saturday night.
“I don’t think a package of Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic and two first-round picks and a pick swap is good enough. That’s my honest opinion. That’s why you’re going to see this thing expand.”
According to SI.com, the Blazers are “lukewarm” about Herro. A source told The Miami Herald that they’re not “over the moon” about adding Herro.
“I like Tyler Herro as a player,” Marks said. “I don’t think he fits in Portland. I don’t see what… taking on Herro’s four-year, $120 million contract does for Portland. That’s why if this is going to eventually happen it will be a three- or four-team trade whether involving Herro to a third team and multiple draft assets…
“It’s a long list of... teams waiting to try to jump in here and become third and fourth teams. If you’re Portland, your goal is to get four first-round picks, maybe a couple of expiring picks and one young player here.”
While Philadelphia could make an offer built around Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers are reportedly not inclined to do that.
San Antonio and Utah have been reported as teams with interest, but both are in the midst of rebuilding projects and Lillard wants to be traded to a contender.
The Clippers have been mentioned as a suitor but have limited draft inventory. And again, Lillard prefers Miami.
“San Antonio, I’ve talked about them as a wild card; I got a little tip during the week,” Marks said. “I think the only way Lillard would want to go there is if there’s another veteran going with him.
“The Clippers? I don’t think... Paul George does anything for Portland; they don’t have enough package of draft picks.”
According to a source, Lillard picked the Heat as his preferred destination because he likes the city, has great respect for Jimmy Butler and the organization and is friends with Bam Adebayo.
Adebayo, who has developed into one of the league’s top centers since the Heat drafted him in 2017, built a strong bond with Lillard while playing together and winning a gold medal with Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 2021.
It’s a relationship that has further raised Lillard’s interest in joining the Heat.
Appearing on The Last Stand with Custer in early June, Lillard was asked which trade destination would appeal to him and he immediately pointed to the Heat.
“Miami is the obvious one,” Lillard said during that appearance about a month before he formally requested a trade from the Trail Blazers. And Bam is my dawg. Bam is my dog for real. Miami is the obvious one.”
The respect is mutual. During their time together as Team USA teammates two years ago, Adebayo said Lillard was one of the teammates he learned from the most during the Olympic experience.
“Getting to talk to him and getting that chemistry with is Dame, just because I play center, he plays point guard,” Adebayo said in July 2021. “So it’s kind of we’ve got to build a connection in the pick and roll. But just being in his ear and seeing how he thinks that game.”
This story was originally published July 2, 2023 at 5:47 PM.
