The Miami Heat struck out on acquiring Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards and now have their sights set on Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, according to a report from Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report.
The Heat believe that Lillard could become available, Haynes reported, should the Blazers fail to upgrade their roster to his liking. Lillard has stated that if the Blazers can’t acquire veteran help, he and the organization would need to have a discussion about his future with the franchise.
The Blazers hold the No. 3 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft and have been actively trying to deal the pick for an All-Star-caliber veteran.
Should Lillard and the Blazers agree to part ways, Miami would undoubtedly be a team Lillard would like to play for. He said as much earlier this month when he appeared on Showtime Sports’ “The Last Stand” podcast with host Brian Custer.
And for good reason. The Heat would offer the perfect fit for Lillard.
They reached the NBA Finals this season, losing 4-1 to Denver. They feature two other All-Stars in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Lillard has not played with an All-Star teammate since LaMarcus Aldridge left for San Antonio as a free agent in 2015.
What the Heat sorely lack is an impact perimeter playmaker and a dynamic point guard. Lillard is both. His addition would make the Heat clear Eastern Conference favorites next season.
However, what would Portland get out of the deal? Well, Blazers fans should probably brace themselves for the possibility that their team doesn’t reel in a massive haul for their beloved superstar.
Washington traded Beal, a three-time All-Star, to the Phoenix Suns for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, multiple second-round picks and multiple pick swaps. Paul, 38, will reportedly be rerouted to the LA Clippers to make their roster even more fragile.
The deal sent shockwaves of horror throughout NBA media and fans. While Lillard should definitely command more of a return, the Beal trade showed what can happen when a franchise is forced to move a star player to his desired destination.
The Wizards, 35-47 last season, essentially made the deal to rid themselves of Beal’s contract, which has four years and $207 million remaining.
Beal had a no-trade clause that made shopping him around nearly impossible. He wanted to land with a contender and did, while the Wizards didn’t receive close to equal value in return.
That brings us back to Portland and Lillard.
Tyler Herro (14) of the Miami Heat looks on against the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter of the game at Miami-Dade Arena on March 22, 2023, in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)Getty Images
No way the Blazers settle for what Washington got in return for Beal. Lillard does not have a no-trade clause but would have to be dealt to a contender. A rebuilding team would not want to take on his contract (four years and $216 million remaining) and sending him to a bad situation would not be a good look for the franchise.
So, the options will be limited and Miami would be atop the list.
The most logical trade would probably involve guard Tyler Herro, another player with a large contract, and multiple picks.
If the Blazers can net Herro and three unprotected first-round picks, they would have acquired four strong assets to contribute to their rebuild around whomever they select at No. 3, Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons.
Herro, a shooting guard who can dabble as a point guard, would be redundant but could also be traded down the line.
Many Blazers fans on social media have predictably scoffed at Herro being the centerpiece of a trade for Lillard. A fair deal would involve Adebayo. But Lillard would not want to go to Miami to not play with Adebayo, and losing him would greatly reduce the Heat’s chances of contending.
If the centerpiece is Herro, don’t scoff too much. The 6-foot-5 Herro, 23, has upside. He averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists last season while shooting 43.9% from the field and 37.8% on threes.
The downside is that he is already locked into a big deal. He has three years remaining on his contract that will pay him $29 million next season.
For the Blazers’ sake, hope they can flip that No. 3 pick into an All-Star. But if not, it could open the door for a deal that would land Lillard in South Beach.
— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook). Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts
