Damian Lillard has been the Miami Heat’s priority target for months now, but the Portland Trail Blazers have yet to let the 7x NBA All-Star go. This move has taken so long that many even wonder if it will actually happen.
Selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft, Dame has so far spent his entire career in Oregon, staying loyal to the franchise despite its struggles to build a competitive team around him.
But after 11 years, he’s had enough. While the Blazers initially seemed to understand the guard’s decision, their actions showed they won’t move on from him so easily. In fact, it looks like they want to make sure they get everything they can from Miami before accepting his departure.
Rumor: Blazers want Heat to show same desire for Lillard than Suns did for Durant
According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Blazers want “what the Nets got from the Suns, which is the Suns literally scrounging,” whether that’s Miami or any other team.
The NBA insider adds that Portland wants the Heat “to literally scrounge into every nook and cranny and produce everything they possibly can,” but the South Florida team wouldn’t give in to those demands.
While Heat have made it clear that the likes of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are off the table, they have other assets that could be appealing. Even so, Pat Riley will be careful with what he surrenders to get the 33-year-old star.
How many years does Damian Lillard have left in his contract?
Damian Lillard has a $63 million player option for the 2026-27 season before hitting unrestricted free agency in 2027.