The Miami Heat franchise is always one that aims to swing for the fences. And now there may not be an easier pitch for them to knock out of the park than a Damian Lillard trade, as the Portland Trail Blazers star not only requested a trade from the franchise he's called home since 2012, he also specifically cited the Heat as his preferred destination.
A trade for Lillard would be seismic for the Heat, as it would require them to part ways with a few crucial members of their current roster, including, but not limited to, Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, and Duncan Robinson. In fact, only Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are reportedly unavailable in trade talks for the Blazers star.
As a result, the Heat are reportedly in a “holding pattern on roster moves”, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Jackson received this piece of information from an agent of an available free agent, as the Heat would, understandably, much rather focus their resources on a potential Damian Lillard trade instead.
This isn't too difficult to understand; a Lillard trade would gut the team's depth, so it stands to reason that the Heat front office would want to know how the team shapes up should they manage to pull off a trade with the Blazers before making any other moves in free agency. Moreover, getting Lillard could, perhaps, convince some of the most talented free agents left, such as Christian Wood or Kelly Oubre Jr., to sign a cheap deal to bolster the depth of what could be a championship-caliber squad.
It's unclear just how far the Heat's trade talks with the Blazers have progressed. It's also far from a certainty that the Blazers accommodate Damian Lillard's trade request, as beloved of a figure as he may be in Portland.
The Blazers could surely receive a bigger trade haul if they deal Lillard, for instance, to the Brooklyn Nets, as the Nets have the ability to trade away a ton of future firsts, a few young prospects, and NBA-ready talent who could net them a few more draft assets.