Per The Oregonian, the Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat are “pretty close” to finalizing a deal that would send Damian Lillard to South Beach. According to Aaron J. Fentress, Miami has offered three first-round picks, guard Tyler Herro, salary filler, and potentially a young player. Previously, it was reported that the Blazers had no interest in acquiring Herro. Furthermore, it was believed they were looking for four first-rounders and two impact players.
While Fentress notes that they are closing in on a deal, it’s likely that a third team will need to be involved in the trade to complete it. As Fentress noted, “If you don’t want Herro, you just have to find someone to take Herro and give you another first-round pick. Then you’re at four firsts and, then, at least one young player and salary filler, and maybe two young players.” To visualize that further:
Portland Gets: 3 firsts, salary filler, young player from Miami + 1 first, young player from Team 3
Miami Gets: Damian Lillard from Portland
Team 3 Gets: Tyler Herro from Miami
Who Could Complete The Damian Lillard Trade?
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 14: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts to a call during the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Moda Center on March 14, 2023 in Portland, Oregon. The New York Knicks won 123-107. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
That begs the question – who could help finalize this blockbuster trade? In previous reporting, teams like the Pistons and Nets have been floated as potential partners. The Pistons definitely have the young talent to potentially give the Blazers a second player. They would also be able to give up a first-rounder as early as 2025. However, the question remains as to whether Detroit would be willing to give up a piece of the young core the team is building. The reverse is somewhat true for the Nets. They have a lot of draft capital, but minimal young players to give away.
Well, what about out west? The Timberwolves have some draft capital, but no young players that you’d exactly call impact additions. The Thunder is currently running a very young roster. Furthermore, they would benefit from another shooting threat like Herro. Additionally, the team has as many as four 2024 first-rounders. Essentially, the Lillard trade is so very complicated, primarily because the one player the Heat is willing to trade is the one person Portland doesn’t want. However, despite all the talk about the trade potentially taking months, we could be looking at a resolution sooner than we expected.
Damian Lillard formally requested a trade on July 2, citing the Miami Heat as his preferred destination. However, with Lillard not holding a no-trade clause, the Blazers have been steadfast in seeking the best deal for the team. This has been a problem for the Heat, who haven’t been wowing the Blazers with their Tyler Herro-centric offers. Meanwhile, Lillard’s agent has reportedly been contacting prospective Lillard suitors and telling them to back off. Reportedly, Aaron Gordon has told teams that they would get an “unhappy” version of Lillard if he was sent to a team other than the Heat.
This has led to something of a stalemate. The Blazers are demanding “best offers” only from prospective trade partners will Gordon is trying to force a move to Miami. However, returning to Miami, the Blazers have essentially gone on record to say that either the Heat up their offer or find a third team to add to the trade if Herro is a dealbreaker asset. This has led to the Pistons and Nets joining the trade talks. However, things have gotten a little clearer as the Blazers have revealed what sort of compensation they are looking for.
Blazers Want Multiple Firsts, Multiple Players
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 19: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers eyes the basket before shooting a free throw during the third quarter against the LA Clippers at the Moda Center on March 19, 2023 in Portland, Oregon. The LA Clippers won 117-102. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
According to Aaron Fentress of Oregon Live, “The Blazers, according to NBA sources, are seeking in the neighborhood of four first-round picks and two quality players.” This sounds like an equitable package for what they would be giving up in Lillard. However, 1) it’s bad news for the Heat and 2) it almost guarantees that this will be a three-team deal.
So firstly, why is it bad news for the Heat? Simple – the Heat really don’t have the roster to give up multiple players. This is especially the case if the Blazers don’t have any interest in Tyler Herro. Maybe there would be interest in Kyle Lowry. However, Miami would likely want to keep him. Furthermore, why would Portland trade for a point guard when they have Scoot Henderson? That ties into the second point as well. There are few teams in the league who would be willing to give up two players in order for someone else to get Damian Lillard. It’s almost impossible to put together a trade that feels like would be accepted by all parties.
Damian Lillard formally requested a trade on July 2, citing the Miami Heat as his preferred destination. However, with Lillard not holding a no-trade clause, the Blazers have been steadfast in seeking the best deal for the team. This has been a problem for the Heat, who haven’t been wowing the Blazers with their Tyler Herro-centric offers. Meanwhile, Lillard’s agent has reportedly been contacting prospective Lillard suitors and telling them to back off. Reportedly, Aaron Gordon has told teams that they would get an “unhappy” version of Lillard if he was sent to a team other than the Heat.
This has led to something of a stalemate. The Blazers are demanding “best offers” only from prospective trade partners will Gordon is trying to force a move to Miami. However, returning to Miami, the Blazers have essentially gone on record to say that either the Heat up their offer or find a third team to add to the trade if Herro is a dealbreaker asset. This has led to a very surprising name entering the trade saga – the Detroit Pistons.
Pistons Could Be Third Team in Lillard Trade
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – APRIL 09: Hunter and Saint LaVine with Chicago Bulls mascot Benny the Bull after the game against the Detroit Pistons at United Center on April 09, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Per Chris Hayes, the Pistons could be a team that Miami includes in a trade in order to acquire Lillard. The Pistons skew very young right now, with four of their five projected starters aged 22 or younger. What the Pistons really lack is some more experienced productive talent. Sure, Tyler Herro is only 23. However, he has four seasons of NBA experience and is coming off back-to-back 20+ ppg seasons. Herro would have been the Pistons’ second-highest scorer last year.
However, Herro doesn’t really make sense for the Pistons either, as he’d primarily compete for playing time with Cade Cunningham and Jalen Ivey. A team that makes more sense to include in a three-team trade would be the Brooklyn Nets. Herro would be an upgrade at point guard over Spencer Dinwiddie and the Nets have a buttload of draft capital. While the deal would obviously have a lot of moving parts, the headline acquisitions could be as follows:
Miami gets Damian Lillard from Portland
Brooklyn gets Tyler Herro from Miami
Portland gets draft capital from Brooklyn + player from Miami
Damian Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, has reportedly advised teams other than the Miami Heat against trading for Lillard. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the latest NBA news notes that Goodwin has warned these teams that they would be acquiring “an unhappy player.” This move is seen as a strategy to ensure that Lillard ends up at his preferred destination. This specifically being in place for when the Portland Trail Blazers decide to trade the seven-time All-Star.
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 14: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts to a call during the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Moda Center on March 14, 2023 in Portland, Oregon. The New York Knicks won 123-107. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Goodwin later confirmed his client’s desires when speaking to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. He stated, “I do what I should for my client. Some teams I did call. Other teams have called me. It’s a respectful relationship with most teams. Truthfully, he wants to play in Miami. Period.” This statement makes it clear that Lillard’s preference is to play for the Miami Heat.
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 23: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers celebrates as he points to his wrist after scoring a three-pot basket in the closing seconds of the game against Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on October 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Goodwin also mentioned that he had advised Blazers general manager Joe Cronin to have a “meaningful negotiation” with the Heat. This is seen as a move to facilitate Lillard’s move to his preferred team. However, Wojnarowski noted that this is a “time-honored agent maneuver” designed to suppress the trade market for a player to get them to a predetermined destination. He also mentioned that general managers he spoke with said it “won’t impact how they’ll proceed” as they explore talks with the Blazers for Lillard.
Lillard’s Trade Request and Potential Destinations
PORTLAND, OREGON – APRIL 09: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers looks on during the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Moda Center on April 09, 2023 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Following Portland general manager Joe Cronin’s confirmation on July 1 that Lillard has requested a trade, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported that Lillard is “specifically” seeking to play for the Heat. However, if things don’t work out with Miami, the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Utah Jazz could be of interest to Lillard, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
NBA News: The Obstacle for Miami Heat
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 24: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers watches from the bench. During the second half against the Chicago Bulls at Moda Center on March 24, 2023 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
The biggest obstacle that appears to be facing the Heat is a lack of appealing trade assets for the Blazers. Wojnarowski mentioned earlier this week on SportsCenter that Portland is “not impressed” with Miami’s offer. Particularly, because the Blazers aren’t interested in Tyler Herro as they already have Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, and Scoot Henderson as backcourt options.
The Blazers’ Perspective
From the Blazers’ perspective, they are “going to do what’s best for the team.” The team is looking to build a championship-caliber roster. Trading a franchise icon like Lillard makes it easy to understand why the Trail Blazers would want to maximize their return. However, they made things more difficult for themselves by extending his contract last summer.
Lillard’s Contract and Value
Lillard is signed for the next three years. The player also has a $63.2 million player option for the 2026-27 season when he will be 36. Teams could be more reluctant to give up significant future assets for a player at this stage of Lillard’s career and with that contract. Despite this, Lillard remains an incredibly valuable player. The main reason is that he is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 32.2 points per game in 58 starts.
In conclusion, the Damian Lillard trade saga is a complex one, with multiple parties involved and various interests at stake. It remains to be seen how this situation will unfold and where Lillard will eventually end up.
The Damian Lillard saga continues. While the Blazers have asked teams to send their “best offers”, Lillard’s agent has been warning teams not to make offers for the star. According to his agent, teams who are not the Miami Heat will be receiving an “unhappy” version of Lillard who will not be playing his best basketball.
However, Lillard’s camp are also in a tough position. Despite the influence that comes with his longevity with the club, he has very little power in the trade discussions. Lillard is under contract for two years, having already exercised his player option for 2024-25. The 2023/24 season is still months away, meaning that there is very little threat of Lillard sitting out games. Furthermore, Lillard doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract. This means that he gets absolutely no say in where he’s heading either.
Stephen A Says Lillard Has Earned The Right To Dictate Trade
“Why the hell should he go some place he don’t want to go?”@stephenasmith has no problem with the report that Dame would be unhappy if traded to somewhere besides Miami pic.twitter.com/H01npzNecS
“Damian Lillard has earned the right to want out,” Smith began. “More importantly, a player of his caliber has earned the right to go where he wants to go. And if people are gonna open their mouth and sit up and say ‘Well hey, if you’re gonna give the impression that you’re not going to be happy.’ Well listen, they’re probably not lying but so what? Why should he go some place where he’s not going to be happy? Listen, he is good in Portland. He wanted them to be a better franchise. He wanted them to win, he wanted them to put the pieces in place. In Portland, you’re not going to be able to go out there and recruit marquee free agents. Since you can’t get anyone to come there, you’re going to have to go elsewhere.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by many fans and figures around the league. Lillard put his heart into playing his best basketball in Portland. He ends his time in Portland as a seven-time all-star and averaging 25.2 points per game. Furthermore, he comes off the best season of his career. He scored 32.2 points per game, third in the league. However, the Blazers need to try and save face, not acquiescing to the demands of their star player. Despite this, it seems that we are nowhere near a conclusion to this trade. Where do you think Dame will end up? Let us know in the comments. Follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.
The Portland Trail Blazers have issued a very clear message to teams interested in Damian Lillard. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Blazers are starting to get serious about moving Lillard. “For teams calling about trading for Damian Lillard, the message from the Portland Trail Blazers has been unambiguous: Bring your best offer and make your team our preferred trade destination,” writes Wojnarowski. “General manager Joe Cronin doesn’t plan to operate a transfer portal to the Miami Heat and dutifully deliver history’s greatest Blazer to his targeted team.”
Despite wielding a lot of influence with the Blazers, Damian Lillard has very little tangible power when it comes to this trade. Sure, he can request a trade, but the Blazers hold all the cards that come with that. Lillard is under contract for two years, having already exercised his player option for 2024-25. The 2023/24 season is still months away, meaning that there is very little threat of Lillard sitting out games. Furthermore, Lillard doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract. This means that he gets absolutely no say in where he’s heading either. However, Lillard has made it very clear that his preference is the Miami Heat.
Lillard’s Agent Adds To Drama
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 14: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts to a call during the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Moda Center on March 14, 2023 in Portland, Oregon. The New York Knicks won 123-107. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
However, there may be an additional angle to all of this stemming from Dame’s camp. In the same ESPN+ article in which Woj revealed the Blazers’ message, the veteran reporter also dropped another bomb. Dame’s agent, Aaron Gordon, has reportedly been attempting to engineer a trade to Miami. According to Woj, Gordon has been “calling prospective trade partners” and “warning against trading for his client”. Woj continues that Gordon has told teams that they will be getting an “unhappy” version of Dame if he isn’t traded to the Heat.
So why won’t the Blazers simply trade Lillard to Miami? Firstly, it’s about saving face for the organization. They have royally screwed the Lillard situation, failing to build anything resembling a contender around their generational talent. As a result of this, the Blazers can’t simply acquiesce to Lillard’s preferred trade partner without looking powerless. Furthermore, the Heat are very eager to include Tyler Herro in a deal for Lillard. Unfortunately, the Blazers have absolutely no interest in acquiring Herro. That means Miami would need to find a third team to trade with and build a three-team package the Blazers would actually want. Regardless, it doesn’t look like the Lillard situation is getting resolved anytime soon.
Ben Simmons has been one of the most roasted players in the entire NBA over the past few months. Overall, it is easy to see why this is the case. He has not been playing good basketball, and fans are fed up. Moreover, he has been hit with a ton of injuries that have not helped matters very much. Needless to say, there are very few redeeming qualities about his game right now. This may be harsh to say, however, it is very much the truth.
At this point, the Brooklyn Nets have made it very clear that they would rather get rid of him. However, there is very little trade value left in Simmons. Few teams want him on their team, and even if they do, they don’t want to give up a whole lot. Overall, it is a massive fall from grace. That said, with the offseason in full swing, there are now quite a few rumors about Simmons. In fact, one of them revolves around the Damian Lillard situation.
According to Greg Sylvander, the Nets are thinking of doing a three-team trade with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Miami Heat. Damian Lillard wants to go to the Heat and the only way he can really get there is if a third team gets into the mix. Theoretically, this is a trade that would see Simmons go on over to Portland, where he would be surrounded by young talent. Of course, this is simply a rumor for right now, and there is no telling what will happen amid the Lillard sweepstakes.
The Trail Blazers are looking to play hard ball with every single team they can. After all, why give up your franchise player for nothing? The Blazers need an incentive to give up one of the top 3 point guards in the entire NBA. Let us know which team you think Simmons should go to, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the basketball world.
Damian Lillard is easily one of the best point guards in the entire NBA. Unfortunately, there are some haters out there who feel as though he hasn’t won enough. Overall, his time with the Portland Trail Blazers has been frustrating. The team has never surrounded him with the talent necessary to win. However, he has now requested a trade from the team, which means he may finally get an opportunity to win. Lots of teams want him, and it is going to be very fun to watch.
For now, it seems clear that Damian Lillard wants to go to the Miami Heat. Although, the Trail Blazers have stated that they will do what is best for the franchise. With the Heat offering up a substandard trade, Lillard could be forced elsewhere. One team that has been theorized is the Boston Celtics. Jaylen Brown might not re-sign with the team and they are in need of a point guard. As Marc J Spears reports, Tatum is currently recruiting the point guard to his team.
Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard on the same team would prove to be incredibly effective and dangerous. However, it is still unknown whether or not it is going to happen. Sure, the Celtics have a lot of assets, but they may not be willing to part ways with them. The Blazers are going to want a lot for their franchise cornerstone, and this entire process is going to be fascinating to watch. Not to mention, it seems clear that Dame has no say in where he gets to go right now.
This is going to be a story that we will be tracking for the next few days and weeks. It remains to be seen how much time it will take for the trade to finally materialize. No matter what, it is going to be a blockbuster. Let us know where you want to see Dame, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news from the sports world.
The Damian Lillard trade saga is keeping the dead portion of the NBA schedule alive. It was recently reported that the Trail Blazers star has finally requested a trade. However, finding a suitor for the star is shown to be a difficult test. Although, it seems as if Portland isn’t in much of a rush to make a deal. However, sooner or later, a deal will have to be made. As to where, well, that’s sort of the big issue at the moment.
Lillard has made no secret as to where he would like to play next season. Even before the trade request became official, Lillard joked that he wouldn’t mind being in Miami. However, now that trade talks are actually happening, the sentiment still remains the same. The All-Star guard would like to be in South Beach, suiting up for the Heat. Although a few days have passed since that report became official. However, NBA insider Shams Charania claims that nothing has changed on Lillard’s end.
While a trade to Miami is possible, Charania says there are a lot of moving parts in the situation. Of course, the Trail Blazers should be looking at the return on investment here. Even Charania mentioned that there’s a scenario where the franchise could get a huge haul in first-round picks. However, a deal like that may include three or four teams to be in the entire process. Lillard remained loyal to the Portland franchise for many years. So, a preferred trade destination deal would make sense.
As for the days ahead, a move for Lillard doesn’t seem to be rapidly approaching. Although a few teams have already contacted Portland on discussing deals for the popular guard. However, it just feels like the franchise would like to do right by someone who gave his all to them. Do you believe the Trail Blazers will trade Damian Lillard to Miami? Let us know what you think in the comment section. For the latest sports news, keep it right here with HNHH.
Tyler Herro has risen to stardom rapidly during his young career. The former Kentucky Wildcats star quickly found a home with the Miami Heat. The sharpshooter helped lead the team to the 2020 NBA Finals. While he watched from the sidelines this postseason as the team made another Finals appearance. However, collecting Finals appearances is not good enough. The franchise is looking for a way to find themselves back on top of the NBA mountain.
However, getting there may mean parting ways with players on the team. Miami has already lost two key contributors in free agency. That being Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. But this time, the team may be willing to move pieces in a trade. It has been reported that Damian Lillard’s preferred destination would be with the Heat. However, in bringing him in, the team would need to part with great talent. One of those potential great talents could be Herro.
The Miami star already believes the moves are in motion for his departure. According to heatnation.com, the Heat guard is telling those close to him that he will be traded. Any trade for Lillard will more than likely bring back a massive haul for Portland. However, Miami may not have the pieces for a trade that the Trail Blazers would approve of. One has to imagine in order for this trade to happen that, a third team would be involved.
The Heat are tired of playing runner-up. Jimmy Butler gave it his all this past season. But that still wasn’t good enough. In a league that favors stacking superstars on the same teams, Lillard is a must. However, losing Tyler Herro would be tough for the local fans. Do you see a trade scenario for Lillard that sees Herro on another roster next season? Let us know Lillard’s best team fit in our comment section. For the latest news in sports, keep it right here with HNHH.
