Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard may very well find himself back with his current team when the 2023-24 NBA season begins.
However, if the 32-year-old were to become available, NBA insider Brian Windhorst thinks the Miami Heat would make a lot of sense as a potential landing spot.
“It feels strange to me to talk about a team in the Finals, like the Miami Heat, but the Miami Heat make a lot of sense if Dame were to become available,” he said. “They have a number of future first-round picks they can trade. They have a number of interesting young players. It would be a really fascinating opportunity if he were to come to market.”
In recent years, some Heat fans have expressed frustration with the lack of noise the team has made via free agency and trade. However, the decisions Miami has made have ultimately worked out, as the team is currently in the 2023 NBA Finals.
A few dominoes would likely need to fall in order for the Heat to land Lillard. For one, the Blazers would need to make him available. That’s no guarantee, especially considering reports that they’re still planning to build around him.
Secondly, the Heat would need to decide to pursue Lillard. One has to imagine that they’d be more inclined to do so if they were to lose in the 2023 NBA Finals to the Denver Nuggets.
Lastly, Miami would also need to win the Lillard sweepstakes and presumably outbid some other teams in the process.
There’s no doubt that Lillard would be a game changer for the Heat organization. As one of the best guards in the NBA, he’d completely change the complexion of Miami’s backcourt and give the team some serious star power.
This season, the veteran had one of the best years of his career. He averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc.
Unfortunately, his season essentially went to waste, as the Blazers finished the campaign with a losing record and didn’t make the postseason.
Regardless of the result of the 2023 NBA Finals, the Heat are clearly a team that needs to be taken seriously as a contender going forward, which could make Miami an appealing destination for Lillard.
Time will tell what the future holds for all involved parties.
