@ShamsCharania: The Portland Trail Blazers have been informed that Damian Lillard wants a trade specifically to the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, multiple sources tell @TheAthletic

The Miami Heat also have trade interest in James Harden. Can they pull off two big trades for James Harden and Damian Lillard? And then they would create a new big three of Jimmy Butler, James Harden and Damien Lillard. They probably have enough assets to do it but would completely gut the rest of their roster and have no depth. That would be a nice trio at small forward, shooting guard and point guard. And both Harden and Butler have played some power forward as well. Harden, as bad as he's been as a defender, has had some success guarding fat and slow power forwards inside the paint. LOL

Would be a very top heavy team but they always seem to find role players so I'm sure they'd get serviceable guys to fill out the rest of their roster. The compensation will be interesting to see, which key players on Miami might be on their way out

Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson would surely be on their way out. Who else? Bam Adebayo too?
The Miami Heat refused to trade any of those guys to the Rockets for James Harden back in 2021.

@wojespn
5m
The Heat, Clippers and 76ers are three teams that will have interest in exploring trades for Lillard, sources tell ESPN. The Blazers are expected to value deals that would bring them back young players and draft assets.



Maxey would certainly be included if it happens Still think Heat are most likely

3rd team may have to get involved if dame ends up going to miami. not sure they have enough intriguing assets themselves (that they'd be willing to part with) to do something straight up

This post was edited by Red Sox on Jul 1 2023 10:32am

I'm looking at the Miami Heat roster right now. Yep. They can make it work financially. They have the assets.
They can acquire Damian Lillard and James Harden. They'd be gutting any depth in favor of a new big three.

They are not getting them both. The target is lillard.

They can make it work financially but if they dont make Bam available.. Herro is obviously on the table and what else? Robinson's contract isn't a net positive, he's a net negative. It makes the $$ work but that's all it does. Can't just trade crap. Looking at the heats future picks, they don't have many picks to offer since they can't trade 1st round picks in back to back years. Maybe swaps tho. a 3rd team just makes sense to add additional assets that portland would actually want. Herro being the only good piece isn't gonna cut it

37-year-old Kyle Lowry is a valuable expiring contract too. Lowry is due to make nearly $30 million this upcoming NBA season which is the final year of his contract. The Miami Heat can definitely dangle him in a trade as a salary filler if needed. A big plus for them. He'd have to be included in one of those trades along with draft picks and future draft picks. But the team acquiring Lowry can view it as a reset cap wise next summer.