As a matter of fact, Dame reportedly wants out of the Portland Trail Blazers and Miami is believed to be his preferred landing spot. It makes sense, since they seem to be made for each other.

However, the Blazers will first try and get as much as they can to let their superstar go. While meeting their demands looks like a challenging task, the Heat may have the player who could make it happen.

Rumor: Caleb Martin could unblock Damian Lillard trade to Miami

According to Heat insider Wes Goldberg on the “Locked On Heat” podcast, the Blazers may want Caleb Martin in return on a potential deal for Lillard. However, the Heat front office is reportedly reluctant to surrender the forward:

“A real sticking point in negotiations could be the inclusion of Caleb Martin… I have been told the Heat would prefer to keep Martin. They view him as an important part of a championship contender.”

It makes sense Miami doesn’t want to part with Martin so easily, given how he performed in the playoffs. That said, getting a player of Lillard’s caliber comes at a cost. Therefore, if the Heat pretend not to make any sacrifice here, they’re wrong.

The Charlotte Hornets appeared to give him an opportunity, but it wasn’t long before he was waived. That’s when Erik Spoelstra gave him a lifeline, offering Martin the possibility to join Miami on a two-way contract.

Eventually, the small forward made his way to the roster. In a fascinating turn of events, he became a key contributor for a Heat team that defied the odds in the 2023 NBA playoffs, making all their way to the Finals as a No. 8 seed.

Caleb Martin’s contract with the Heat

According to Spotrac, Caleb Martin signed a three-year, $20,408,850 deal with the Miami Heat in 2022. We’re talking about a fully-guaranteed contract, so there’s nothing he has to worry about. He’ll get every single penny.

How much does Caleb Martin make a year?

His annual average salary would be $6,802,950, but he won’t make exactly the same every year. In 2022-23, Martin is due $6,479,000, which breaks down as follows: $539,916 a month; $134,979 a week; $19,282 a day; $803 an hour; $13.4 a minute; and $0.22 a second.

The moment we’ve been waiting for is finally here. The stage is set for the 2023 NBA Finals, with the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat ready to battle it out for the championship. Apart from the coveted Larry O’Brien Trophy, the other award at stake will be the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award.

For many, it will be a two-man battle. Nikola Jokic and Jimmy Butler are the faces of their respective teams, which is why many believe they will be crucial to determine the winner of the series.

It makes sense, since both of them have played at an incredible level in this playoffs so far. However, in sports there’s always room for surprise, so let’s take a look at other potential candidates to take the limelight in the NBA Finals.

4. Bam Adebayo

While Jimmy Buckets often steals all the headlines, Bam Adebayo does the dirty work to let his teammates have the freedom to shine. The Heat big man plays a pivotal role in both ends of the floor, so he’s definitely a player to watch in this series.

Adebayo, who has been in Miami since the 2017 NBA Draft, is the co-star Butler needed to get here. Ahead of Game 1, the center averages 16.8 PPG, 9.2 RPG and 3.8 APG in this playoffs.

3. Michael Porter Jr.

The Joker is without any doubt the biggest reason why the Nuggets got here. However, this is still a team sport, and it would be unfair to overlook the job done by the rest of his teammates.

Jokic’s supporting cast has also been crucial to help Denver reach the Finals. Michael Porter Jr., for instance, averages 8.0 RBS in this postseason, only behind the Serbian star. He’s also the third Nuggets player with the highest PPG average (14.6).

2. Caleb Martin

If there’s a Heat player who has taken everyone by surprise this year, that’s Caleb Martin. His story is already well known around the league, he went undrafted in 2019 and was later cut by the Hornets before landing in Miami on a two-way contract.

Eventually, Erik Spoelstra proved to know best. Not only did Martin make the roster, but he also became a key contributor in the starting lineup. His performances in the playoffs have been outstanding so far, especially in the Conference Finals.

1. Jamal Murray

As we’ve said before, to reduce the Nuggets’ chances to Jokic would be unfair to the rest of the team. In this journey, The Joker has had the perfect teammate by his side in the form of Jamal Murray.

Second in PPG (27.7) and APG (6.1) for the Nuggets (only behind the Serbian) in this playoffs, the guard has been playing with a chip on his shoulder lately. So we could definitely have a potential Finals MVP here.