Blazers’ Damian Lillard Trade Buzz To Heat Growing Fast

NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN believes Portland Trail Blazers superstar point guard Damian Lillard and the Miami Heat are a good fit for each other.

If the Blazers make Lillard available in trade talks this summer, Windhorst could see the Heat putting together a strong package for the future Hall of Famer.

“It feels strange to me to talk about a team in the Finals like the Miami Heat, but the Miami Heat make a lot of sense if Dame were to become available,” Windhorst said. “They have a number of future first-round picks they can trade. They have a number of interesting young players. It would be a really fascinating opportunity if he were to come to market.” 

The Blazers have missed the playoffs two years in a row after making the postseason eight consecutive years. Lillard, 32, appeared in 58 games this season and averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists while shooting 46.3% from the field, 37.1% from beyond the arc and 91.4% from the free-throw line. He signed a two-year, $121.8 million maximum veteran extension in July 2022.

Lillard has said multiple times that he wants to spend his entire career with the Blazers. The seven-time All-Star has never thought about requesting a trade.

“I want to win as a Trail Blazer,” Lillard told Logan Murdock of The Ringer in October 2022. “I want to win a championship where I am. I don’t think I would feel the same joy and happiness if I did it elsewhere. I would be happy, no doubt. Like winning a chip, you get that experience. But I know how I want it.”

Lillard has played all 11 of his NBA seasons with the Blazers, who selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft out of Weber State. Dame has scored the most points in Portland franchise history. However, he’s never reached the NBA Finals.