With just days to go until the start of free agency, Damian Lillard has reaffirmed his loyalty to the Trail Blazers. According to the latest reports, Dame has decided to give the team some more time before making any kind of drastic move.
To most fans and experts across the league, the waiting game for Lillard is over and he’s all but certain to remain in Portland for years to come. In Miami, however, the Heat are still waiting for Lillard in hopes that he will finally make a trade request.
“Damian Lillard’s decision to give the Portland Trail Blazers more time to improve their roster hasn’t dissuaded the Heat,” wrote Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “According to multiple sources, the Heat has decided to wait patiently for Lillard to make a decision because they view him as a player worth waiting for… the Heat’s plans to aggressively pursue a trade for the seven-time All-Star were put on a temporary hold on Monday night when Lillard opted to give the Portland Trail Blazers more time to try to construct a contending team. Generally, business is going on as usual around the league. Teams expect Damian Lillard to be in Portland. But there’s hope around the Heat that Lillard eventually will ask for a trade.”
Miami would be a perfect fit for Dame. Besides getting to play alongside Jimmy Butler, Miami’s culture and identity seems like an especially great fit for Lillard, who is widely regarded as one of the best and hardest-working leaders in the league.
For now, Lillard is off-limits as the Blazers consider their free agency plans but things could change quickly if Portland continues to come up empty in their search for veteran talent.
Lillard Doesn’t Want To Join A Stacked Superteam
While we know that Lillard wants and needs more help, he’s not one of those stars who want to take the easy route to a title. As presently constructed, the Heat wouldn’t be a superteam with Lillard but they’d be a favorite in the East almost right away.
At the end of the day, Dame just wants a chance and Portland isn’t in a position to give him that right now. So while waiting is obviously a major risk for the Heat, it could have a major pay-off if Lillard has a last-second change of heart.
Last season, his 11th as a pro, Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game on 46.3% shooting.
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