NBA News: Damian Lillard has been one of the more polarizing figures in the NBA for years. The seven-time All-Star has solidified himself as one of the best scorers in the NBA. This past season Lillard averaged a career-high in points per game at 32.2.
It has been made clear by the Portland Trailblazers that they are not interested in trading their superstar player, however, having a contingency plan in the NBA is always a must. Reports have surfaced that Lillard was unhappy the Blazers were unable to trade the #3 overall pick in an attempt to secure a proven veteran to help the team win now. If animosity grows between the Blazers and Lillard, it appears there is one team he would be interested in joining.
Damian Lillard Would Prefer To Get Traded To The Miami Heat (If A Trade Happens)
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that Damian Lillard has serious interest in joining the Miami Heat if a trade were to occur:
“Lillard indeed has serious interest in joining the Heat, who would surely love to pair him with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. If it reaches this point — and there’s still an ‘if’ here considering all the times Lillard chose not to ask out before — Lillard’s wishes would matter a great deal because of the enormity of his contract,” Amick wrote.
As previously mentioned, the Blazers are currently shutting down anyone that tries to call on Lillard and there’s no telling on how long that will be the case for, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. That being said, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler reportedly has been recruiting Lillard this offseason. Getting Lillard to Miami seems to be a priority this offseason after they lost out on the Bradley Beal sweepstakes. Miami was long linked to Bradley Beal, but the Washington Wizards dealt Beal to the Phoenix Suns to allow him to team up with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
How Would The Miami Heat Trading For Damian Lillard Impact The Milwaukee Bucks? (NBA News)
The Milwaukee Bucks finished the 2022-23 regular season with the best record in the NBA and the #1 overall seed in the Eastern Conference. However, after a Giannis Antetokounmpo injury and a few poor showings, the Heat eliminated the Bucks in the very first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. The Heat would eventually lose to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals.
The Heat acquiring Damian Lillard would catapult them to the top of pre-season rankings as far as the Eastern Conference goes. The Bucks seemed to be outmatched by a younger and faster Miami Heat team at times. Lillard would bring a different dynamic to the team that they didn’t have last year, most notably, another elite scorer.
After the Bucks missed out on Bradley Beal (as well), multiple other players have surfaced as possible additions that could help Milwaukee win their second championship in four years. One thing seems likely, however, the Bucks will need to get past the Miami Heat at some point during the 2023-24 season if they want to get back to the promised land.
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