Damian Lillard is still “seriously interested” in moving to Miami, so a trade request is likely. The subject of ‘Big Game Dame’ and his possible trade has been doing the rounds in the news for multiple weeks.
The Miami Heat are the team with the best chances of signing Lillard and are also the ones that are most interested in him.
Nick Wright’s proposed trade sees Damian Lillard joining Heat forming trio alongside Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo
With Damian Lillard, the 2023 NBA Finals would instantly become a “top-of-the-line contender,” according to Nick Wright, who initiated the discussion. Wright went so far as to say that Lillard has been their target and that Pat Riley and company didn’t want to acquire Bradley Beal this summer.
On the FS1 program, Wright said: “This is gonna happen…Miami, a team that was confident enough that they could get him, they stayed essentially entirely out of the Bradley Beal sweepstakes because they want Damian Lillard… He’s gonna be on the Miami Heat and we’re gonna have another top-of-the-line contender.”
"Dame is going to be on the Miami Heat, and we're going to have another top of the line contender."
— @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/03bNxSybIC
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) June 26, 2023
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo trust Damian Lillard and get along well. After finding out about the 6-foot-2 sharpshooter’s relationship with Bam Adebayo, Damian Lillard’s move to South Beach makes even more sense.
The recent cryptic social media activities of Jimmy Butler have also fueled the Damian Lillard rumors. The prospect of Lillard lighting up the scoreboard with Butler’s toughness and Adebayo’s versatility would have every basketball fan in a wild frenzy.
Heat’s offseason dealings highlight Lillard interest
The 2023–24 season will see the start of Tyler Herro’s four–year, $120 million agreement that he signed in October of last offseason, as well as Jimmy Butler’s three–year, $146.3 million extension that he signed prior to 2021–22. Lillard has $216 million remaining on his deal over the next four seasons, which, according to Amick, will be a factor in ensuring that he gets transferred to a setting that is to his liking.
Due to his connection with Bam Adebayo, Lillard mentioned playing for the Heat in a hypothetical interview during the offseason. A player option is included in the two-year, $18.2 million contract Victor Oladipo signed in the offseason after injuring his patellar tendon in Game 3 of their first-round series against Milwaukee. Oladipo underwent knee surgery as a result.
The greatest strategy for a team to strengthen its roster is to re-sign its current players and just sign new players to minimal contracts that offseason. The Heat have enough resources to make Lillard a compelling offer if he becomes available.
Most people agree that Lillard’s other viable trade terminus is the ‘Nets’. Lillard, who is expected to make $45,000,000 this season, may decide to work with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, which could completely change the league’s power structure.
It is a waiting game right now. To initiate the chain reaction, Lillard only needs to ask for the trade. Sadly, because he hasn’t formally requested out yet, all Heat/Dame reports are currently speculative. Yet, the most recent report makes note of the fact that a trade request is “imminent.”
In order to put together effective combinations, teams must strategically plan ahead because players like Damian Lillard know their roles are always recasting.
