Mailbag: Will Heat make stronger push for Damian Lillard ahead of training camp?
The Miami Herald’s Heat mailbag is here to answer your pressing offseason questions. If you weren’t able to ask this time, send your questions for future mailbags via Twitter (@Anthony_Chiang). You can also email them in to achiang@miamiherald.com.
@CarlosLop32: What is the likelihood that the Heat increases their offer for Damian Lillard (“bid against themselves”) if the Blazers do not make a counteroffer before training camp opens?
Anthony Chiang: The key part of your question is in parenthesis: Will the Heat feel a need to bid against itself as the start of training camp nears? Because there doesn’t appear to be any offers on the table for Lillard other than Miami’s. Of course, Lillard’s trade request to the Heat has helped thin the market of potential suitors.
But what if the Heat does feel a sense of urgency to try to get a deal done before training camps around the league begin on Oct. 3? Unless another team become a serious contender in the Lillard sweepstakes, the desire to land Lillard before training camp is pretty much the only reason Miami would improve its offer to Portland in the coming weeks.
The first step, though, is the Heat and Trail Blazers re-engaging in trade discussions. Things have been quiet on that front for weeks, but the expectation from those around the league is trade talks could pick up as the start of camp inches closer.
Are the Trail Blazers really willing to head into media day and begin camp with Lillard’s unresolved trade request looming over the organization? Teams have done this before, but this situation is different than most because of Lillard’s stature in Portland. Lillard isn’t just any star, he’s one of the greatest players in Trail Blazers history and has spent the first 11 seasons of his NBA career with Portland. The longer this goes, the messier it may get.
Is the Heat really ready to enter camp with uncertainty still swirling around its roster, as it continues to pursue Lillard?
We’ll soon find out the answers to these questions.
@KellyLinters22: Should the Heat not make any other major changes, what is your best bet for the starting lineup and top guys off the bench?
Anthony: Considering the Heat lost two starters from last season’s playoff run, the starting lineup is going to look a little different whether the trade for Lillard happens or not.
If Lillard is not on the team, this would be my (very) early prediction for the Heat’s starting lineup based on its current roster: Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love and Bam Adebayo.
That would leave Josh Richardson, Caleb Martin, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Duncan Robinson, Thomas Bryant, Haywood Highsmith, Nikola Jovic and Orlando Robinson as bench options.
The Heat could also again open games small and start Martin at power forward instead of Love. The Heat could even play Herro as the “point guard” and get more length and defensive versatility in the starting lineup by starting Richardson or Martin instead of Lowry.
Even if Lillard isn’t in Miami to begin the season, the Heat has built a roster that’s versatile and can play different styles.
