NBA Trades #6: Miami Heat
The Heat remain the perceived frontrunners to land Lillard, even though they do not appear to have the assets needed to get a deal done at the moment. Still, team president Pat Riley has a knack for making trades happen when they don’t initially seem likely.
It also helps that Lillard prefers to play in Miami, though that might not be enough to convince the Blazers to take less. The framework of a deal could include Kyle Lowry’s nearly $30 million expiring salary, Duncan Robinson, Nikola Jovic, three first-round picks and a pick swap going to Portland in exchange for Lillard.
However, the Heat could rope in a third team willing to take on Tyler Herro and reroute a third first-round pick Portland’s way. Would that be enough? Possibly, though, the Blazers could try to extract more, including Caleb Martin or a couple of first-round pick swaps. There are ways in which Miami is able to scrounge up enough assets.
However, it would mean gutting the team to do so, and they have already lost Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Cody Zeller and could lose another three or four rotation players in their pursuit of Lillard. If any team can figure out a way to cobble together a rotation around Lillard, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo, it’s the Heat. Then again, their plans to add Lillard will depend on the help of another team.