The Miami Heat have done their best to pry sharpshooter Damian Lillard away from the Portland Trail Blazers in recent weeks, but have yet to find the right combination. Recently, more information was revealed as to a hidden reason why Lillard has the Heat on the top of his short list of preferred trade destinations.
The Heat's Bam Adebayo played with Lillard during the Summer 2020 Olympics, winning a gold medal and forming a tight bond with the Blazers' star in the process. Recently, Adebayo got candid about why the Heat lost to Denver in the 2023 NBA Finals. Recently, a swap of Adebayo for Lillard as part of a possible trade package was discussed.
Now, Adebayo is speaking out as part of an article in The Miami Herald.
“It just speaks to the volume of who I am as a person,” Adebayo said in response to Lillard calling Bam his “dawg” in an interview while praising their bond.
“For you to be able to say without basketball, I can really hang out with him. It speaks to the volume of your character and also the skill level I have on the court. The things I do to get the job done on the court and the mentality that I have.”
Lillard requested a trade to Miami last month. It is unknown as to whether or not the Heat have the pieces to complete the potential blockbuster trade, but the hope for President Pat Riley and Head Coach Erik Spoelstra is that Lillard and Adebayo become teammates when it's all said and done.
In the meantime, the Heat are doing their best to maximize the talent they have on the current roster, including a dark horse Rookie of the Year candidate who was just taken in the 2023 NBA Draft. For Riley, Spoelstra and Adebayo, the show will go on — regardless of whether Lillard ends up in South Beach or not.
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