Damian Lillard has been the Miami Heat‘s priority target for weeks, but it looks like the Portland Trail Blazers are willing to wait as long as necessary to part with their superstar. Needless to say, this is the most intriguing saga heading into the 2023-24 NBA season.

While many feel it’s a matter of when, not if this deal will get done, the fact that the weeks go by and there’s still no agreement makes noise. Dame wants Miami and viceversa, but the Blazers have the final say.

So, even if Lillard’s agent made it clear to other teams his client is only interested in the Heat, there’s speculation that other teams could jump in at some point. Recently, the Pelicans were mentioned as a dark-horse candidate to get Lillard.

Rumor: Pelicans could get Lillard before Heat

According to former NBA executive and current columnist at The Athletic John Hollinger, New Orleans could make the right offer to land Lillard if the Miami saga drags on:

“It would be ironic to trade McCollum and Nance back to Portland since that’s almost certainly what this would entail to create a salary match. There is a case to be made for kicking the tires on this, even though it’s not Lillard’s first choice. He’s signed for four more years, so his leverage is fairly limited. And the Pels can create a winning package with their future picks and young players; there is no question they can outbid the rest of the market.”

Lillard could increase his wish list

The lengthy negotiations between Heat and Blazers also fuel speculation that Lillard could expand his wish list. According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, the guard may consider opening the doors to other teams if this saga extends for months:

“Dame was so loyal. Wanted to put himself in a good position… Probably just waited too long. Question is does it happen during the offseason or do we wait until February… He may even expand his list of teams he’d be willing to go to.”

The Heat are still in pole position to acquire the 33-year-old, but the longer they fail to reach an agreement, the bigger the risk other teams step in. Only time will tell how this plays out.