![]() ![]() If it stretches into the season, there’s a scenario where Lillard returns to Portland and plays while waiting to be traded.Ī year ago, Kevin Durant sat in the same limbo as Lillard when he requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. Top Blazers executive Joe Cronin has already said a Lillard trade could take months to complete. It’s widely believed that Lillard has played his last game as a Trail Blazer, but that isn’t a certainty quite yet. Damian Lillard returns to the Blazers and waits to be dealt ![]() Of course, Miami has to put it all on the table. If Portland can land Jaquez, three unprotected first round picks, and get off Nurkic’s contract, that feels like a pretty good deal for the Blazers. Instead, the inclusion of the unprotected 2026 pick feels like it will really be the determining factor. The ability to flip Herro to a third team for another pick or two feels like the sticking point right now, but that would require another team to actually value Herro that highly. The Blazers will probably want Miami to take on Jusuf Nurkic’s contract as well, which is considered a “player-friendly” deal to put it nicely. Expect rookie Jaime Jaquez and sophomore Nikola Jovic to also be rerouted to Portland if this deal goes down. The expiring salary of Kyle Lowry could also be in play. The Heat can also include Tyler Herro, but the Blazers don’t want him. It can add a third first round pick in 2026 if it amends the protections on a future pick owed to the Thunder. Miami can offer its own unprotected first round picks in 20. There’s a pathway for a potential trade here, but it’s either going to require the Heat to pony up every asset they have, or the Blazers to accept a sub-standard offer. Damian Lillard gets traded to Miami Heat before season ![]() Years of NBA superstar trade requests have informed us on how Lillard’s situation will eventually play out. Portland has been in this situation before, back when MVP center Bill Walton requested a trade in 1978. The superstar trade request is as much a part of the NBA’s fabric as the pick-and-roll. Before KD, it was James Harden forcing his way out of Houston. Before Dame, it was Kevin Durant requesting a trade. Lillard’s trade request might feel like a seismic event in the NBA landscape, but similar situations play out every year. This is a true stalemate, and there’s no apparent end in sight. The Heat don’t want to bid against themselves with other potential suitors worried Lillard wouldn’t want to be there. The Blazers have reportedly urged Miami to make its best and final offer for Lillard. Lillard has been clear that he only wants to play for the Miami Heat, but Portland is resolved to make the best deal for the long-term future of the team. Free agency is now all but finished, but Lillard remains with the Blazers. Damian Lillard told the Portland Trail Blazers he wanted to be traded just 24 hours into free agency on July 1. ![]()
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