Don’t expect Pat Riley to drag off one other heist to land a superstar in Miami.
Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard requested a trade out of Portland early on Saturday, with the Miami Heat as his preferred destination.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported during a Sunday appearance on SportsCenter that the Trail Blazers don’t plan to easily grant Lillard’s wish and send him to the reigning Eastern Conference champions.
“The Blazers front office, their organization, they made it clear to groups who called yesterday about Damian Lillard that they’re open for business all over the place within the league on him,” Wojnarowski said.
The seven-time All-NBA guard would net a large haul in a trade for the rebuilding Trail Blazers.
But Lillard’s preferred destination of Miami wouldn’t exactly net that very same haul, and the one way he really finally ends up there may be as a thanks from the team for his 11 seasons in Portland.
“He doesn’t have a no-trade clause in the way in which that Bradley Beal did,” Wojnarowski noted. “He doesn’t get to regulate where he goes next.”
Any trade would should be centered around Heat guard Tyler Herro, who was injured during Miami’s recent run to the NBA Finals.
Miami can also be unable to supply salary cap relief unless they get a 3rd team involved, as they feature no major expiring contracts.
And the draft pick compensation Miami could offer is 2 first-round picks in 2028 and 2030, with a number of pick swaps involved as well.
It will seem a bidding war is ongoing behind the scenes in NBA circles as teams aim for Lillard’s presence on their team.
“I believe this can not be a fast process, and Miami doesn’t have any advantage in attempting to get a trade for Damian Lillard,” Wojnarowski said.
