The Miami Heat know they have the upper hand on potential Damian Lillard trade scenarios and will not fall prey to the demands of the Portland Trail Blazers.
With the rumors swirling that the Blazers have other suitors for Damian Lillard, Heat President Pat Riley is allegedly daring Portland to go ahead in what appears to be a bluff of sorts, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN via @Ohnohedidnt.
Woj: [The Miami Heat] want Damian Lillard. They just want him for as little as they're going to have to give up and they're essentially daring Portland to go out into the marketplace — which is Portland is doing — and see if they can find better." pic.twitter.com/Mt9WIQ2wfU
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) September 19, 2023
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"[The Miami Heat] want Damian Lillard. They just want him for as little as they're going to have to give up and they're essentially daring Portland to go out into the marketplace - which Portland is doing - and see if they can find better," Wojnarowski quipped.
Lillard admitted having made the trade request to the Blazers and named the Miami Heat his preferred destination. However, the Blazers have set their demands, wanting a crop of young players along with four future first-round draft picks in exchange, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.
Wojnarowski's take comes not long after fellow ESPN scribe Marc. J. Spears also suggested that the Trail Blazers are bluffing, SI.com reported. He also suggested that the Blazers have several suitors for the All-Star guard, particularly in the Eastern Conference.
It appears that Riley and the Heat are confident of acquiring Lillard, either directly from the Trail Blazers or another team - assuming the 33-year-old is dealt to a different NBA squad.
Should that happen, the Heat will be quite formidable with a mix of Lillard, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo, all under the watch of Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra.
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