The Trail Blazers remain “disinclined” to engage with the Heat about a potential trade package to send Damian Lillard to Miami, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson (Twitter link), who says that Portland is “acting disinterested” in dealing the star guard to the Heat.
Jackson’s update comes on the heels of a TV appearance by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski in which he reported that there has been little traction on a deal involving Lillard with Miami or any other team. According to Wojnarowski, the biggest impediment to a deal is Lillard’s contract — he’s due $45.6MM in 2023/24 and will make an average of $60MM in the final two years of his four-year deal — rather than his desire to end up in Miami.
Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Shams Charania hears that the Heat are preparing an offer for Lillard that would include three or four first round picks going to Portland. According to Charania, the framework of a potential Lillard-to-Miami deal would involve the aforementioned picks, expiring contracts, at least one young player, and Tyler Herro being re-routed to a third team, as well as possibly pick swaps and second-round picks.
The Heat only have one expiring contract with a significant salary, Kyle Lowry‘s $29.7MM deal. Miami’s 2023 first round selection Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic fit the bill for young players who could interest Portland.
Miami is currently ineligible to trade more than two of its own future first-round picks due to the Stepien rule, but there are scenarios in which the club could free up an extra first-rounder or two — a third team that acquires Herro may also be willing to send a first-round pick to Portland.
All of this reporting comes in the wake of a July 28 memo sent out by the league warning Lillard and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, about discouraging non-Heat teams from pursuing the seven-time All-Star.
Portland general manager Joe Cronin is clearly in no rush to send one of the best players in franchise history away, especially if Miami’s package isn’t strong enough. With training camp just under two months away, Cronin could opt to hold Lillard until the last minute or, if nothing comes to fruition, could even hold him into the season. As Jackson notes (Twitter link), it took two other recent prominent trade demands (Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis) around seven months to be moved following their requests.
On the other hand, if Lillard and his camp continue to make things uncomfortable, you’d think Cronin would begin to become more receptive to Miami’s offers. The Heat lost key contributors from their 2023 Finals roster in free agency and haven’t been able to add many other players from this year’s free agent class due to not knowing how many roster spots will be up for grabs if a Lillard trade occurs. In other words, the Heat’s push for Lillard could get more urgent, allowing the Blazers to extract more value. If Cronin wants more picks, the Heat could look to trade pieces like Caleb Martin for assets, for example.
Regardless, it doesn’t appear as though anything on the Lillard trade front is imminent or even close to it, at this point.
Portland are the dumbest team on god
Why are they? They don’t want Herro salary dump and a couple poor picks for one of the best players in the league. They can wait, he’s not expiring, they’re rebuilding around Scoot it’s not like they can’t just sit him until a good offer comes in. It’s a good tactic from them really. They could just sit him all the way to the deadline if they wanted.
Dame is at fault for making his team get in touch with interested teams and telling them not to trade for him. Blazers are a fault for not building a challenge team after he signed the new deal. Both parties are at fault. This will likely go on beyond the start of the season and someone will make a better offer and he’ll pack his bags and play for whoever it is.
First requirement
I really like the idea of Blazers receive 4 first round picks. (4 team deal)
Second requirement:
Now Heat can send Herro and Lowry to 3rd and 4th teams and Blazers get someone like Bridges and Cam Johnson.
Stop smoking crack and posting nonsensical trade proposals @sillivan
Well said .
Who is going to offer a better deal? Liliard just going to refuse to play for any team but the Heat. Who is going to trade for a guy that won’t play for that salary?
That is the reason I expect it to go beyond the start of the season, they’ll wait hoping for all the “don’t trade for him” to die down which it most likely will. But be realistic, there are a lot more play off teams than just Miami and most/all can offer better packages for a 3rd star at best in Herro, filler and 2 late 1sts.
Look at it from a non Miami view. Arguably the 2nd best guard in the league is available and on a long term contract. Every team will try. Dame isn’t in the same situation as Beal there’s no NTC so he has no say. He won’t sit on a new team he’s locked up the next 3 seasons. If he gets traded he’ll play and most GMs will know that.
There is always that one fan that wants to put some of the blame back on the athlete. Dame deserves to go wherever he wants and the Blazers owe him that.
But there is blame on the athlete…Dame is an employee that is under contract. He has no right to tell them where to send him……. I don’t remember Harden getting defended this much for his antics in Houston or AD in New Orleans there’s no difference. I don’t agree with players dictating where they want to go at all, saying they’d prefer yeah but not forcing the hand. But out of loyalty you can see teams showing good faith.
But is the Miami offer on par with what Rockets and Pels got? Not at all, so it’s their choice to wait it out, he may wind up in Miami but not if they can’t find a way to pay what he’s worth.
It’s like Jimmy saying he wants to go Lakers after signing long term(do they owe him? He’s done more for them than dame has for Portland.) then everyone saying Miami should take 2 picks and reaves(hypothetical value, not availability). It’s not what the player is worth and no way they would do it.
Totally agree with Portlands stance as Miami has nothing of value that doesn’t start with Bam. Lillard has no leverage. Lose lose for him.
Portland may be dumb but they also need to honor their part of the contract with Dame .Dame needs to do the same and should own up to his agent being an idiot. All three need to just own it. The heat should be censored too for a different reason. How the media is being leveraged slices both ways for all parties and the league needs to make it clear that their are rules. Anyone that hurts the league can be suspended or banned etc.
Not hard to keep trade requests private and negotiations behind closed doors.
Conduct detrimental to the league issues.
In this era there isn’t really a realistic way to keep trade requests and trade negotiations private, especially when it comes to someone like Dame. A G.M. has to tell his ownership group and his team of analysts so they can do their job and make sure they’re getting the best deal. The teams they call to negotiate with will in turn do the same. The more people that know, the more likely the information will leak.
This wasn’t a leak situation. It was direct and the agent needs to own up to being stupid
Usually Teams are the ones leaking information to damage someone’s image.
You signed the contract. Own up to it.
So let’s abolish trades then right? So the team who offered you a contract has to “own up” to the deal they offered you to play on THEIR basketball team.
Where is Lillards no trade clause? Oh that’s right he left it on the negotiating table. Sorry.
Dame didn’t have an opportunity to leave a no trade clause on the table. He’s never been a free agent. To get a NTC you have to be a 8 year vet 4 years with the signing team and signing a new contract. Dame’s always just signed extensions as when they were offered.
Two year max extension on his current 3 year made him eligible for a no trade if he so desired.
No he wasn’t eligible. A no trade clause has to be part of a NEW contract not an extension.
Dame doesn’t need permission from anyone. He told his team where he wanted to go. Realistically there are maybe 2-3 teams that could trade for him. But only one of them wants him.
Totally agree. Seems like the Blazers think they’re holding on to a golden goose. Dame is an aging player on a massive deal. Every day that Portland looks for alternatives to Miami is a day that all other teams look for alternatives to Lillard. At this point I would not be shocked if Dame plays his contract out with the Blazers just so they can’t profit off of his departure.
This comment is dumb, Lillard not having a NTC actually shows he is a loyal player.
Wah wah wah Dame has made hundreds of millions of dollars. Awe I feel so bad for him.
This is absurd! The Blazers haven’t done anything to significantly improve their roster since that contract was signed. What about all the promises management made to Mr Lillard about putting him in a position to succeed.
Cronin has got to be one of the worst GMs in the NBA. He is absolutely pathetic
Why though? Because he wants the best for his team instead of giving Miami a player for a bunch of garbage?
No, wanting the best for an organization is fine, but what about wanting the same best for the people that make the organization successful.
There is an easy way for Dame to get his wish granted and play in Miami: buy your contract out of Portland and sign with the Heat as a free agent. Ah, he also want the big bucks? In that case good luck, since Portland has all the leverage and should absolutely use it. What the Heat has to offer could barely land them a Jerami Grant type of player, but definitely not someone with has much value as Dame.
Sorry but anyone with 5 active brain cells takes Hero over Jerami Grant and that was before Portland signed him to that massive overpay
I don’t think too many guys are overpaid, they get what the market dictates. One of the few exceptions would be Tyler Herro. The Heat signed him for $30 million a season when no one could bid against them as he would’ve been RFA. That’s a lot of scratch for a Kyle Korver 2.0
If the Blazers hadn’t given Grant what they did, Houston would have. He is a huge upgrade over Brooks and they.were willing to spend money. They didn’t have cap space for both Grant and VanVleet but the would’ve freed up an extra $16 million if they had to.
I know!!! Have any of the guys s***ting on Herro seen him play?
Most teams that have the assets to acquire Lillard at Portland’s price are either not interested, not ready, already have a star PG, or would have to break up their existing core to manage it.
The only real exceptions to this are New Orleans, Utah, and OKC. And maybe Atlanta if you squint. Two of which are incentivized not to help out Portland as they are division rivals (and OKC already has Jaylen Williams and Shai locked in at both backcourt spots, though Williams isn’t immovable). Atlanta and New Orleans would have to move a lot of crap around to make it work too. Atlanta would have to trade Trae and New Orleans either McCollum or Zion, none of which would appeal to Portland except *maybe* Zion. And Atlanta probably isn’t interested in what a trade of that magnitude would require them to send back, along with their depleted draft assets (they have two available picks to trade).
Maybe some team would be willing to overpay for Herro or take back Nurkic for assets to help a trade along. But Portland’s market isn’t wide open like some people seem to think.
Stay firm Portland. No Bam no Dame. Stay strong don’t give in to Miami mediocre package
LOL not only is Portland not getting Bam, they are ruining their future chances of ever signing a free agent. Look how they are treating the best player to ever play for the team. The same guy who stayed through all the bad years. Now they refuse to do right by him. Dumpster fire team in a dumpster fire city in a dumpster fire state.
Sad.
They don’t care about that. Portland has never signed a big-ticket free agent in their history. Ever. They’ve never been a destination for free agents.
So Pippin or Kemp weren’t big name FA’s? They haven’t been able to since Lillard’s been here. That has more to do with style of play than the city itself. Oregon is a beautiful place to live and play.
Yeah, Portland gave Dame contracts that will pay him more than 400 million. Horrible how they treat him. I hope no employer will ever treat me like that.
And Drexler is the best Blazer ever. I don’t remember Dame leading the team to the finals twice.
The league is a far cry from the drexler days…
Also, lillard would have got the same money from any other team. I get for a 2k fan you think people are just numbers on a spreadsheet, but they aren’t. This is the real world.
Nobody said Dame is the best Blazer ever. The article says he’s one the best Blazers of all time. He did lead them to the conference finals. They also have something else in common other than being Trailblazers, they both asked the front office for a trade to a preferred destination.
Lillard would’ve cooked Drexler! In 1990 the beat the Spurs and the Suns to get to the finals, please look at the rosters, most players were mediocre. Please don’t act like Drexler making it to the finals in 90 and 92 was an act of heroism.
Even if the Heat offered Bam, Lillard would withdraw his trade request. Bam’s his boy and one of the major reasons Lillard wants to go to the Heat.
Lillard to Miami, Grant and Nurkic to Hornets. Hornets trade Hayward and Rozier to Heat, Miller and M Williams to Portland. Heat trade Lowry, Jovic and Jaime Jaquez to Portland, Hero and 1st rd picks to Hornets. Or Heat trade Hero to Knicks, 1st rd picks, Jaime Jaquez and Jovic to Portland. Knicks trade Fournier, 1st rd picks and something to Portland. Or just trade with the Heat for Lowry, Jaime Jaquez, Jovic and picks. Lillard, thybulle and picks for M Conley, A Edwards, Kyle Anderson and McDaniel
Anyone?
Which team would give up a first round pick for Herro?
The Knicks if they can get rid of Fournier at the same time?
Potential 5 team trade:
– Knicks get Herro for Fournier, Quickly and a 1st round pick
– Miami gets Lillard + expiring contracts
– Spurs get Fournier + expiring contracts
– Portland get Quickly, Jaquez and expiring contracts.
The Spurs could send out some nice players, of which most fit into a trade exception and could later be traded or waived:
– Khem Birch 7 million (Trade exception for Miami)
– Cedi Osman 6,7 million (Trade exception for Miami and Portland)
– Reggie Bullock 11 million (No trade exceptions)
– Cameron Payne 6,5 million (Trade exception for all teams)
– Zach Collins 7,7 million (Trade exception for Miami)
Spurs could take on both Lowry and Fournier, which would reduce their roster count and give them some nice opportunities for subsequent trades or buyouts. Or would Portland prefer to keep a higher contract like Lowry?
That’s a Sillivan level trade proposal
Portland says no
“Portland is “acting disinterested” in dealing the star guard to the Heat.”
When I was a smartass teenager I asked my best friend, “Why are you acting so goofy?” He replied, “Who’s acting?” I’m fairly well convinced that Portland isn’t “acting disinterested.”
Heat receive: Damian Lillard
Nets receive: Tyler Herro, Jusuf Nurkic
Blazers receive: 2 first rounders from Miami, 2 first rounders from Nets, Miami 1st Rnd pick swap, Miami 2nd rounders, Dariq Whitehead Nikola Jovic, Ben Simmons, Orlando Robinson
I see this as a win for everyone, don’t know why something similar hasn’t happened yet.
Except for the part about anyone wanting Simmons
That’s why they’re giving up an extra pick, besides Portland has to reach salary floor this season so they need to take back a big contract for Dame. They can stretch waive him next offseason.
BKN would see it as a lose-lose, with them losing twice. Taking Nurkic’s deal would be a non-starter regardless of Simmons’ involvement. Whitehead plus 2 other FRPs for Herro? If he had close to that value around the league POR would just take him.
They’re paying 1 pick for Herro, 1 pick/Whitehead for Portland taking Simmons deadweight massive contract.
BKN has no reason to pay anything to effect a salary dump of Simmons. Teams pay for salary dumps for one of two reasons, they need to create cap space or they want to avoid luxury tax. Right now, neither applies here. The next time cap space becomes relevant, Simmons will be an expiring deal.
I also think Brooklyn really think they can bring the best out if Ben again also. So they don’t want to dump him. It’s smart cause he’s clearly got talent too and if he turns it around he goes from one of the worst deals in the league to a all star that’s worth multiple firsts again …
Simmons is 2 more years, and they have a plan for him. See what he’s got this year if he’s healthy; if it’s good, he fits, and if it ain’t good, he’s expiring next year. Nurkic is 3 years, a definitive non-fit to the point where he won’t play much. He won’t be happy with that state of affairs at this stage of his career (like Fournier). BKN has enough problems, they don’t need to import one to help MIA get Lillard.
As long as Simmons won’t/can’t shoot 3s all he can do is play the 5 and Claxton is getting 30 mpgs at least. He won’t recover, his contract is massive deadweight. That’s why they’re paying an extra 1/Whitehead to Portland to take it off their hands. It doesn’t matter to Portland bc they need a big salary to reach salary floor with Dame off books and can stretch waive his last season of it next summer.
I disagree, apparently according to Nets players and staff. Ben is fit and has been running around looking good on the court and is happily communicating with everyone. Which is baby steps to getting back the best Ben Simmons.
Yes he doesn’t shoot the 3 ball but he’s one of the leagues best defenders, he’s great at driving to the rim and also a top tier playmaker when fit and healthy. He averaged basically 16-8-8 for three years on one of the best teams in the east.
It makes a lot more sense to try develop Ben and get the best out of him then just dump him. His value goes from being a massive negative to a big positive once again.
I’d rather try help him than just give up picks to get rid of him
I reckon it’s partly because the numbers don’t work, unless I’m missing something? Exactly how are the Heat going to take on Lillard’s salary while only moving Herro and cheaper parts?
The other part is you aren’t a NBA GM, and clearly for good reason.
For someone talking so much smack, you’d think you’d know the Heat have multiple 7 figure trade exceptions.
Just to be sure, I plugged it into ESPN’s trade machine and it didn’t work. And here’s why (I’m literally quoting HR here):
“Trade exceptions created in non-simultaneous trades can’t be combined with one another, with other exceptions, or with a player’s salary…”
Miami’s biggest trade exception wouldn’t cover that gap.
The only smack I see here is some random fan assuming themselves to be the smartest person in every room while wondering why the world doesn’t turn to their specific beat? There are all sorts of reasons why a trade hasn’t gotten done yet, and it’s not only because Miami doesn’t have the assets to get things done on its own.
PS- Orlando Robinson cannot even be traded until 12/14/23. If you disagree, I would send ESPN a sternly worded email.
Robinson was a throw in and can be replaced or dropped. It’s a basic overlay, why my OP said something similar. You’re the one being nasty af here. Did you grow up aspiring to be mean to ppl for no reason on a basketball message board someday? Sad af.
1) I am coming off as semi-unintentionally hostile. So, sorry for that. Not in a great mood (not an excuse, just a fact).
2) I guess it annoys me when folks wonder why their personal opinion hasn’t yet transpired in the real world, as if things are always so simple. Maybe the Nets don’t want Herro. Maybe the Blazers and/or Heat want to continue battling for leverage. Maybe the Blazers aren’t a fan of Jovic and/or Whitehead. Who knows?
Lillard: 45,640,084
Herro: 27,000,000
Jovic: 2,352,000
Robinson: 1,801,769
Oladipo Trade Exception: 9,450,000
Total: 40,603,769
The Heat a luxury tax paying team can take back 125% of outgoing salary in a trade. Allowing for 10.15M over the outgoing 40.6M.
Trade exceptions can’t be combined with salaries this way, and Miami won’t be able to take back more than 110% of their outgoing salary in a trade this season based on the new matching rules and their proximity to the tax aprons.
Lillard to Miami, Grant and Nurkic to Hornets. Hornets trade Hayward and Rozier to Heat, Miller and M Williams to Portland. Heat trade Lowry, Jovic and Jaime Jaquez to Portland, Hero and 1st rd picks to Hornets. Or Heat trade Hero to Knicks, 1st rd picks, Jaime Jaquez and Jovic to Portland. Knicks trade Fournier, 1st rd picks and something to Portland. Or just trade with the Heat for Lowry, Jaime Jaquez, Jovic and picks. Lillard, thybulle and picks for M Conley, A Edwards, Kyle Anderson and McDaniel
It seems as if Portland when acquiring a young player want forwards or centres not guards cause they already have Scoot Sharpe and Simons.
Hence the disinterest in Herro and interest in Bam.
So that said only forward and centres ….
Maybe KAT, Miller, Moore and a first for Dame
Dame ANT Anderson McDaniels Gobert …
Conley as sixth man plus Naz Reid
Portland get a shooting big for their slashing guards plus 2 more young players to develop and a pick.
Dame for OG, Precious, Thad, Boucher and 2 first
Portland gets OG, Precious and a couple firsts plus expiring deals. Sounds like a poor return but it’s better then Herro and 2 picks for Lowry and 3/4 picks
Toronto then have Dame Schroder GTJ Gradey Scottie Otto Pascal McDaniels Poeltl Koloko
They’d be stacked to make a run in the east
OK so it’s still about Herro ?????
I can’t be that nobody wants him, could it be. I understand Blazers don’t want him. With Simons there they don’t need him at that price. But if it’s only one #1 pick. There should be enough teams to want to take on Herro. I see the Pacers as a good fit. He and Haliburton is a nice backcourt. And no Mathurin is not a SG. He’s a true 3. Herro fits right in imo. Even the Sixers should be exploring his fit. His outside game only helps Embiid. I’m sure they could get in with Harden somehow in a 4-way. It’s just a shame that Herro is holding this up. Heat should be all over NBA trying to move Herro. To make a Dame trade work
Lame Dullard more like it!!
This is already old…
Who really needs daily updates that Miami can’t put an offer together because they just have nothing of value to offer…
Portland should just wait until a team gets desperate enough to throw in a bid for Dame…
It’s better to tank with an unhappy star and get more assets then tank without said star and have loose change…
There isn’t a team that can do it. Or wants to do it …..
Over before it begins
It’s interesting that Herro’s contract is toxic. He’s 23yo, averaged 20/5/4 on decent (43/38/92) percentages and is signed for about 4/$128 mil. He’s not cheap but what’s todays marketplace for a 20/5/4 efficient shooter? His defense sucks but who are these elite defensive high scoring guards people seem to think are the norm? It makes sense for the Blazers to NOT be interested in Herro not because he’s not a good player but they already have Scoot, Simons and Sharpe to man the guard positions. But Herro is a player more teams should be in on. I’m gobbling up a bunch of his rookie cards on eBay. He’s going to have a massive chip on his shoulders regardless of where he ends up.
Lillard to Miami, Grant and Nurkic to Hornets. Hornets trade Hayward and Rozier to Heat, Miller and M Williams to Portland. Heat trade Lowry, Jovic and Jaime Jaquez to Portland, Hero and 1st rd picks to Hornets. Or Heat trade Hero to Knicks, 1st rd picks, Jaime Jaquez and Jovic to Portland. Knicks trade Fournier, 1st rd picks and something to Portland. Or just trade with the Heat for Lowry, Jaime Jaquez, Jovic and picks. Lillard, thybulle and picks for M Conley, A Edwards, Kyle Anderson and McDaniel. Lillard for Melton, Maxey and Tobias Harris. Which one?
BLAZERS get Duncan Robinson, Lowry, Jovic & Spo.
HEAT get Dame & a ton of cash.
HEAT gets Dame, elevates Quinn as HC. They get a 2-3 year window to win a ‘chip.
BLAZERS get a rotational piece in Duncan, a prospect in Jovic and Lowry’s expiring contract. No star, no picks. What they do get, is the best coach in the league – build and steer this team the right way.
It’s slow news week.