Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on Friday that trade talks for Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard have “intensified” but no deal is imminent. Wojnarowski also said the Heat — Lillard’s preferred landing spot — haven’t been involved in recent trade talks with Portland, though he did caution that could change at a moment’s notice.
In addition to confirming Wojnarowski’s report, his ESPN colleague Brian Windhorst says Miami hasn’t been acting like a team that’s prepared to go all-in to land Lillard.
“I don’t think the Heat are desperate at all to trade for Damian Lillard,” Windhorst said on NBA Today (YouTube link). “I think they want to trade for him, but I don’t think that it’s something that if they don’t get it done that it wrecks their season.
“They were in the Finals last year. They have young players that are getting better. They have assets that they can trade for other deals. And as we talked about earlier on the show, Dame Lillard isn’t potentially the only star player that could be on the market. Maybe not today, but certainly in the next six-to-12-to-18 months.
“I don’t think the Heat have ever approached it like it’s the be-all, end-all,” Windhorst added. “… Like Woj reported, and I have heard the same thing … I don’t think that the Heat and the Trail Blazers have been engaged in talks at all, on almost any level, for quite some time.
“That could change very quickly. Dame Lillard could be a member of the Heat in the short-term future. But I think that there has been a misjudgment in sort of the way it’s all viewed, that this is something that the Heat have absolutely got to get done, and I just don’t think they view it that way.”
For what it’s worth, when Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link) sent Windhorst’s explanation of the Heat’s thinking to an “involved source,” Jackson was told that it was “100 percent right.”
The heat should be desperate. Sure they were in the finals but then they lost a few very good players that helped get them there.
Agree, Barely above 500 last season,sneak into playoffs, miracle. Haven’t won championship in 10 years,Butler 34, not much after Bam. Dismal.
Miracle? They are the only team to have been in the finals twice in the last four years. And been to the ECF 3 of those years. Pretty sure they have more than proven they belong there. Heat hatred is hard
Blow what did they win ? Last championship? Record last season? Play in last season. Barely. Follow the facts blow. Nobody remembers who finished 2nd. The heat culture comes up short.
Haha wtf you even talking about then? How many teams won a championship last year? One, right? So what about the other 29 teams? By your logic 29 teams in the league are desperate and everything they did was a miracle. Dafuq?
The culture comes up so short that it must be enough to be the exclusive for Dame. Bad post. Thumbs way down.
Such a dumb post from @solitery (can’t even spell right) …… if championships are all that matters – then any given season, 99.97% of the league sucks.
Any given season, 99.97% of the league is dismal.
What the hell are you watching the NBA for? Or maybe you don’t and just watch whoever makes the Finals and bash whoever loses.
Facts they looking at the record. But the yr before that we was the number one seed. But the heat had a lot of injuries last yr. But cause no one beat them. So that’s the main reason dame at there yet. Cause heat already end the east
I don’t think the Heat would want to take that path again, having to win the play in then getting through the whole playoffs without home court advantage. Difficult to get through, let alone have enough gas in the tank to lift the trophy at the end…
I assume if a Lillard deal gets done, all of Riley’s media sycophants will get a free trip on one of the owner’s cruise ships. Well deserved. They’ve been doing yeoman’s work on this all summer.
We will never know but perhaps Cronin has a robin at his side who is stepping in and this is all just a Big, successful (re) grab for some leverage with Mia
I’ve thought all along the perks/package that Mia held was adequate enough w minimal 3rd party work necessary – Pats just trying to have the deal fall off the truck to this point (to this point)
The Lowry exp, both Jaquez/Jovic, the avail draft capital, possible Nurk purge, possible xtra Herro 3rd team juice… – The Key being getting the whole bag and nothing but, thus the leverage wars
Strong play by Por, making me wonder who Robin is more than anything, cuz it aint Crons
I agree that MIA does have enough (largely because Dame isn’t KD or the like). But MIA still has to go “all in” with their non-Butler/Bam assets. It appears they’re not doing that, but its unclear why (do they only value Dame even less than I do, or are they just trying to steal him). If MIA was “all in” on Dame, then MIA (not POR) would be gauging 3rd party interest in Herro, and, frankly, would have several preliminary deals lined up. Although, who knows? They may.
I don’t see how Lillard has any value. He’s aging quickly with a horrible contract that will paralyze the organization until his deal expires. Wherever he ends up, in 2 years it will be Lillard and a roster full of league minimum guys because the organization won’t be able to afford anyone else. Which is nearly the identical situation Portland is in now.
How is Windhorst saying “Woj and I heard the same thing”. Big difference … Woj heard his information directly from the Front Office …. Windhorst information comes from what he read from Woj.
Please get it over with …….
Imo a good place for Herro is Indiana. He n Haliburton make up a solid backcourt. Herro fits their time line, young team. Blazers can take Buddy. Or another pick.
Bennidict Mathurin fits the Pacers timeline better, has more upside, already there and is a lot cheaper.
Him, Haliburton, and herro same team would be a real offensive threat to anyone at least.
Is that literally only because Herro is white? Because Indy has zero use for a SG on a long expensive contract.
Nor should they be. Although Herro is flawed, he has a lot of strengths and is very capable of being a part of a big 3 down the road. So at the worst, they keep Herro and Bam, and then in a couple years they bring in a top free agent.
Portland is dumb asf not to take Herro. He may not be the perfect fit for their plans, but neither is Lillard. But he’s half the money and ten years younger than Lillard. Should be a no brainier.
Herro’s got some skills but the only “big 3” he’ll be a part of down the road is Ice Cube’s.
I want the Blazers to trade Dame to the Heat because that’s where he wants to play but I do understand their reluctance to take on Herro. They already have Anfernee Simons who has a very similar skill set to that of Herro’s but on a more team friendly contract. The hangup isn’t necessarily Herro but finding a team to take Herro.
Stop the nonsense. The Herro hate is out of control. Who was the 3rd best player on Denver? Porter Jr? He avg 17-5-1. Herro avg 20-5-4. Herro putting up better numbers than any 3rd best player in the league.
This whole skill set argument is dumb, because like I already said, anything you got to say about Herro, applies to Lillard. The choice is either Lillard or Herro. Anything else is irrelevant.
Who said I hate Herro? I can like the guy and still say he’s not a All-NBA level player.
The 3rd best player on the Nuggets was Aaron Gordon not MPJ. Scoring isn’t all that matters.
Herro was so important to Miami’s success last season that they made it to the finals with him playing all of 19 minutes in one game during the playoffs.
The other option is trying to find a team that will take on Herro and give Portland a pick or 2.
You’re all over the place. I’m talking their best player, not All NBA. You literally said he belongs in the Big 3 league, how is that not hating?
Fine Aaron Gordon. Gordon avg 16-6-3. I agree scoring isn’t everything but Herro avg almost as many rebounds as an SG and more Assists. So what are you talking about
There is no other option. All teams are capped out, meaning Portland has to take on a contract from whatever team acquires Herro. So who is Portland taking instead of Herro? This the problem with y’all, y’all keep creating these ideas, but can’t actually give a specific example.
I’m Gordon’s case I was talking about defense. Which Herro isn’t very good at.
You and I both said the down the road he be a part of a Big 3. I didn’t say he belonged there now.
Yea Gordon is a better defender, and depending on the team I would rather have Gordon.
But my point still stands, Herro is a quality player and he’s only 23. He put up the same numbers that Jamal Murray did at 23 and now Murray is #2 on a championship team. And you can’t say Murray defense is much better than Herro.
I don’t think you’ll find a GM anywhere who would consider Herro to be in the same class as MPJ. The reason you know that is Portland has been trying for months to find a taker for Tyler, with no luck. He’s not worth his contract and 6’5” shooting guards who can shoot aren’t that hard to find or valuable (MPJ is a 6’11” small forward … they are).
Portland hasn’t been trying to do anything. They are just talking nonsense. They are looking for some delusional magical deal. They don’t know what they are doing. The problem that everyone is ignoring, is in order for a team to trade for Herro they have to give up a contract. So either that team has to give up a good player or good picks with a bad contract. The only team off the top of my head that could make that work, is the Hornets giving up Hayward and picks. But Portland has to hope the Hornets continue to suck so the picks turn out.
Ok, now I’m taking up for Herro. Herro and Porter are both the same class of player. Porter is 6’10” 218 and doesn’t rebound worth the crap. He has his moments but most of the time for a player his size he doesn’t defend well either. His lack on that end of the floor was why Denver had to trade for Gordon. On offense his shooting stats are a bit higher but they should be! He’s 6’10 with a lightning quick release and has the beat passer in the NBA setting him up.
Herro isn’t any better on defense but he’s good shooter that works to get open and stop and set for a shot on a moment’s notice. He can also attack a closeout or run a pick and roll and he’s a hell of a lot better passer. Oh and he’s a hell of a lot cheaper at the end of his current contract.
Herro’s 6’5” (not even) and can only (and barely) check one position. Those guys are a dime a dozen and most don’t make $30m. In fact that’s why Portland doesn’t want him — they already have two. Porter’s a genuine 6’11” (he’s actually taller than Jokic, if you see them standing next to each other). Those guys are NOT a dime a dozen. Supply and demand sets value. MPJ is also a terrific rebounder, known for it, albeit he plays on a team with one of the best rebounders in the league. And his D is quickly improving (he barely played in college).
Heat loss Strus & Vincent. They should be desperate…
What were Strus and Vincent before the Heat? Heat create players. They will do it again.
Facts they was out the league
I doubt it this time
The Heat should be desperate to make a trade…
Lillard is just too old…
Sure he’s on Butler’s timeline but General Soreness ain’t carrying no team to a title either…
“Heat aren’t desparate for Damian Lillard” sounds a lot like “Heat know there’s a better Lillard offer out there that they can’t match.”
Miami Rockets Heat make sense.
Portland ships Lillard to Miami
Rockets ships young players to Portland
Miami ships Herro and Lowry to Rockets
Not the entire deal but teams get what they want. Kevin Porter Jr goes to Portland too.
Miami get Lillard
Portland gets young players it wants
Rockets get beef for their 6th 7th man in Herro and Lowry to make them a deeper team. And cover them in the event FVV gets injured or something. And rids themselves of Porter Jr
I do think Herro would be a good pick up for Houston, but I don’t see them giving up any young players. They probably want to see how the team fits together as is.
The only way I see a deal happening is like you said, Portland would have to take Porter and add Tate and Rockets would have to offer up some good unprotected picks
I think Portland would be ok with picks, they’re right at the beginning of a rebuild. Houston is 2 years in, time to build on what they’ve already got rather than add more rookies.
They have 2 1sts, and a 30M expiring contract. They’ll figure out an alternative answer to improve their team.
just because a player wants to be traded to a specific team doesn’t mean the other team wants him. if he’s desperate to get out of Portland he may have to accept a trade to another team besides the Heat . it may be one of those “Suck it up buttercup” situations .
Herro hate. Heat hate. Whatever. We’ll be happy with sneaking all the way to the finals or ECF via play-in every year. We truly don’t care what you all think.
The thing about unlikely things is they are unlikely. And Jimmy’s getting old.