Ever since the Miami Heat lost in the 2023 NBA Finals, the team has continuously been involved in trade rumors. Jimmy Butler and company seemed to lack another star to win the championship, which is why Damian Lillard emerged as a potential target.
Dame has proven to be one of the best shooters in the league all these years, but the Portland Trail Blazers have failed to build a successful team around him. Therefore, many believe this could be a match made in heaven.
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Lillard’s future looks uncertain, which only fueled speculation about a hypothetical move to South Florida. Heat legend Tim Hardaway Sr., however, doesn’t see Pat Riley going all in for Lillard.
Tim Hardaway Sr. claims Heat won’t land Damian Lillard
“He’s not giving up his core,” Hardaway said of Pat Riley on The Carton Show, via Heat Nation. “He’s not going to do that, Pat Riley. So, Miami is not going to get him because if they want these two players, and you don’t want to give ’em up, that’s too much.”
Hardaway knows a thing or two about Riley, so his comments could be true. Besides, what he says makes sense because Miami may not be willing to meet the Blazers’ demands, which will probably be huge.
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But the Heat know a player of Lillard’s caliber could be the missing piece to their success, so we’ll have to wait and see what Riley comes up with. At the end of the day, there’s a reason they call him The Godfather.
