Trade talk surrounding Damian Lillard has not diminished, with a new report indicating that a number of NBA teams are still making efforts to be part of the potential blockbuster deal.
Aaron Fentress of the Oregonian offered the news on the “Blazer Focused” podcast.
“There’s a lot of [3rd] teams that have inquired about [joining a Dame deal]—What I’m being told is there’s a ton of [3rd] teams that are trying to get involved one way or another—There’s definitely numerous other teams that have inquired about getting in on this” @AaronJFentress pic.twitter.com/bsgZ6JR0Ky
— Dru (@dru_star) July 21, 2023
The strategy behind that line of thought is that a team could send assets to the Trail Blazers and then possibly acquire Tyler Herro in a multi-team deal. Fentress did indicate that the Trail Blazers are not interested in obtaining Herro in any Lillard trade package.
On July 1, Lillard made known to the Trail Blazers that he wanted to be traded. The Trail Blazers, however, are in no rush to trade him.
The reason for the Trail Blazers’ patience is that Lillard remains under contract with the team for many more seasons. Waiting for an asset-filled trade package that’s in their best interest is something that puts all the pressure on the Heat.
Herro’s name has been prominent in talk surrounding Lillard, with the Heat reportedly using him as their biggest trade chip. Yet, the Trail Blazers’ apparent disinterest in Herro means that a third team will likely have to be brought in to complete a deal.
Exactly which teams are in the mix in this scenario is unknown. The Heat likely aren’t that concerned about which teams they might be, given how emphatic Lillard has already been in wanting to play for them.
If Herro does end up being the biggest asset the Heat use to acquire Lillard, where exactly he ends up will likely not be a huge concern for the team. Even though Herro has developed in his four years to become a productive player on the court, Lillard’s career numbers are higher and could potentially be a game changer in any Heat title run.
The Trail Blazers have already been reported to be comfortable dragging out the process to make sure that they get quality assets in return. The longer such trade talks continue, the more likely it seems that another team will ultimately be part of the final deal.
