There have been several trades made in July, yet the Damian Lillard dilemma never seems to find its end. The Portland Trail Blazers have been struggling to land a perfect deal solely because of General Manager Joe Cronin’s bargains. Lillard’s search for a championship-contending team is now set on signing with the Miami Heat. Several packages have been dealt with but none meet the standards of Cronin’s desires.
Miami offered to send Tyler Herro along with multiple future first-round draft picks. Experts also suggested that the Heat may include two valuable players such as Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry. Other teams have not been able to match the Blazers’ demands for the 7x All-Star. Most teams either do not have the required assets, have no interest in trading their stars, or aren’t willing to match the requirements of Lillard’s contract.
Heat have made a trade offer to the Blazers centered around Tyler Herro and 3 first-round picks for Damian Lillard, per @AaronJFentress pic.twitter.com/w8gN63lHcf
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 14, 2023
Cronin earlier stated that he is willing to wait and analyze developments that conspire over time. He believes that the best trades happen when teams patiently work on deals rather than rushing through them. Damian Lillard on the other hand is keen on leaving the Blazers before the start of the season.
Who are the Heat likely to send in exchange for Damian Lillard?
Based on Joe Cronin’s stubbornness to find a deal that suits his taste, NBA reporter Ramona Shelburne believes it’s Cronin who is at fault for the delay. She told ESPN, “The issue with the Miami is, while they wait on Dame, it’s restricting their ability to fill out the roster around Jimmy and Bam Adebayo. You lose Gabe and Max Strus.” She suggested that had Cronin acted upon the trade request earlier, the Blazers would’ve had a few more options on the list.
“The issue w/ Miami is, while they wait on Dame, it’s restricting their ability to fill out the roster around Jimmy & Bam. You lose Gabe & Strus. Half that list has seen their name mentioned in possible deals for Dame. It’s hard for Miami to fill out that roster” @ramonashelburne pic.twitter.com/VfY2GUuZMK
— Dru (@dru_star) July 18, 2023
Shelburne believes that the Heat will struggle to complete their roster while waiting on Damian Lillard. The Heat will have the option to sign Summer League standouts but it won’t be close to what Lillard will bring to the table. Tyler Herro will remain a trade asset in this scenario. However, Miami will run out of options if the Blazers continue to wait on the perfect deal.
BREAKING NEWS: The Miami Heat have agreed to trade Kyle Lowry for Damian Lillard.
The Blazers did not agree pic.twitter.com/OZcmrH9JaL
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) July 16, 2023
So far, Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry have been the best assets to rely on in this trade. Robinson has mostly filled in for perimeter scoring and defense. Over five years, he’s averaged 11.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. Chances are he may fare better as a sixth man while Herro takes on a bigger in Portland. Lowry’s veteran leadership qualities are precisely what a championship team requires. He would be a great locker mentor for Portland’s young roster.