The Portland Trail Blazers reportedly don’t love the Miami Heat’s assets in a potential Damian Lillard trade this offseason.
“Miami remains a team most motivated that has enough assets to eventually, perhaps, outbid the market. The problem is: Portland looks at what Miami has, doesn’t love it, and keeps hoping something better is going to come along. It may or may not.” – (via @wojespn) pic.twitter.com/uCp69laDgi
— Miami Heat Beat (We Just Cover The Team) (@miaheatbeat) July 31, 2023
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski also mentioned that Miami isn’t going to “bid against itself” in the Lillard sweepstakes. The Blazers star has made it clear that he’d like to be traded to Miami this offseason.
Earlier this offseason, Miami Heat insider Greg Sylvander predicted a potential trade package that the Heat would have to move to obtain Lillard.
The package centered around Tyler Herro and 2022 first-round pick Nikola Jovic. In his prediction, Sylvander also included sharpshooter Duncan Robinson for salary-matching purposes as well as four first-round picks and three first-round pick swaps.
It’s unclear what Miami has offered for Lillard exactly, but the Blazers don’t appear to be sold on the offer, otherwise Lillard would have likely been traded already.
The Heat are certainly hoping a Lillard deal will materialize since they already let two key rotation players walk this offseason. Guard Gabe Vincent signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency while sharpshooter Max Strus went to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sign-and-trade deal.
Portland has struggled to contend in the last two seasons, missing the playoffs in both of them. Lillard was injured for much of the 2021-22 season, but the team struggled when he was healthy last season, failing to make the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.
A seven-time All-NBA selection, Lillard 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.
For now, Portland can hold out to see if a better offer comes along for Lillard, but the pressure will likely turn up on the franchise as the start of the 2023-24 season nears.
Lillard is under contract for the next four seasons, so there really isn’t another path for him to leave the franchise other than being traded.
It will be interesting to see if Miami increases its offer to land the seven-time All-Star point guard this offseason.
