Damian Lillard stayed loyal to the Portland Trail Blazers for more than a decade, but it looks like he’s had enough. With the Miami Heat seeking to win another NBA championship, Tyler Herro could be dealt for the veteran guard.
The 2019 first-round pick is seen as one of, if not the best asset Miami can offer apart from Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, who are not negotiable for the Heat. But negotiations haven’t been easy so far.
While Lillard has made it clear he only wants a trade to South Florida, the Blazers are trying to get as much as they can in return. While Herro could be useful, Portland may be interested in another Heat player.
Report: Blazers could want Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr.
According to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, the Portland Trail Blazers may want to include Jaime Jaquez Jr. in the Lillard trade. Here’s what he said in a recent episode of his Game Theory Podcast, via Heat Nation:
“It wouldn’t surprise me if they do want Jaquez. I don’t know that for sure. But I did hear his name a little bit with Portland predraft. It wouldn’t surprise me if they value Jaquez in the same way that they ended up valuing Kris Murray predraft as like an older player that could bring them some stability.”
The Heat selected Jaquez in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft, so it would make sense if the Blazers land him to rebuild with a young player whose career is just getting started.