ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Bobby Marks offered some insight into the latest Damian Lillard trade talks between the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers on the Lowe Post podcast.
“I think the only way we hear more about Dame is if Dame makes it messy,” Marks said. “And I don’t think Damian Lillard – right now – is willing to make it messy in Portland.”
Lowe added that trade talks between the Heat and Blazers have been “nothing” which isn’t a great sign for a deal getting done soon.
“I’ve heard there’s been nothing,” Lowe said. “I mean no meaningful dialogue at all. And more pointedly – I know Brian Windhorst said something about this while I was on break – I just don’t think there’s been another team. If there is, I don’t know about it.”
Both of these reports coincide with what Windhorst recently said as well. The ESPN insider recently revealed that the two sides are not having discussions about a Lillard trade.
This is not a great sign for the Heat’s chances of getting a deal done soon for the seven-time All-NBA selection.
Miami has clearly been eyeing a Lillard deal all offseason, as the team let guard Gabe Vincent sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. The Heat also lost another rotation player when they orchestrated a sign-and-trade to send sharpshooter Max Strus to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
There’s no doubt that Lillard would elevate Miami’s roster, but it appears that Portland isn’t sold on the package the Heat can offer for the seven-time All-NBA selection.
Lillard, a seven-time All-Star, averaged 32.2 points and 7.3 assists per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc last season.
Miami’s best package would likely be centered around guard Tyler Herro, sharpshooter Duncan Robinson and one of the team’s last two first-round picks (Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Nikola Jovic). The Heat would also need to part ways with significant draft capital in a Lillard deal.
With neither side looking to budge on its current position, it’s possible that a Lillard deal could drag into the 2023-24 season. Portland isn’t in a rush to trade the All-Star guard since he’s under contract beyond the 2023-24 season.
Heat fans will continue to have to wait and see if a Lillard deal materializes prior to the start of training camp.
