Dame did everything he could to succeed with the Portland Trail Blazers, but now it looks like he’s finally giving up. The guard reportedly made it clear he only wants to play for Miami, but his team is blocking the way out.

However, negotiations aren’t over yet, so the Heat are still optimistic they can get it done before the new season gets underway. In fact, the front office has reportedly identified two players to go after once Lillard moves to South Florida.

Which players could join the Heat apart from Lillard?

According to Greg Sylvander of Five Reasons Sports, if the Miami Heat finally land Lillard, they could go after Christian Wood and Kelly Oubre.

“If the Heat do finally ever figure out a Dame trade…….Watch for both Christian Wood and Kelly Oubre to be on the team’s radar as possible vet minimum additions in free agency per league source.”

While finding a way to get Lillard on board is obviously the priority, the Heat wouldn’t stop there. Both Wood and Oubre are interesting options still available in the open market.

The 2023 NBA free agency is coming to an end, and Christian Wood still does not have a team. He is considered a top free agent by multiple sources, but he has not yet signed a contract. Kelly Oubre, on the other hand, had a couple of good seasons with the Hornets, but he has not received any new offers.

Players like Wood and Oubre are hard to find. They are young and could contribute a lot to a franchise that needs top players for the bench or for a rebuilding project. It is likely that they will both have teams for the upcoming season, but they may have to wait until the last moment of free agency to sign.

There are a few reasons why no team has signed Wood or Oubre yet. One possibility is that they are asking for too much money. Another possibility is that teams are concerned about their injury histories. Finally, it is also possible that teams are simply waiting to see what other players become available before making a decision.

Why has no team signed Kelly Oubre and Christian Wood?

Until now it is not known why they have not been signed despite the fact that they, Kelly Oubre and Christian Wood, are valuable players who have proven to be potential starters or bench backup for any NBA team.

However, Christian Wood is a particular case since he is considered a top center and it is likely that he has not yet been signed with a new team because he is asking for a lot of money.

Wood’s former contract with the Rockets was for $41 million over three years, and Oubre’s former contract with the Hornets was for $24 million over two years.

The swingman has more problems than 3-pointers this season, as he’s involved in a legal battle with his ex-girlfriend, Makena LeDuff. Oubre has been involved in those battles before, suing LeDuff first in 2019, claiming she had stolen his two dogs.

Now the player is trying to keep his name clean after LeDuff allegedly extorted him with $3 million or she would reveal some “dark secrets” about Oubre. Hence, the player is trying to save his reputation and his money with a lawsuit.

Kelly Oubre says his ex-girlfriend tried to extort him out of $3 million

A report from TMZ indicates that Oubre sued his ex-girlfriend LeDuff after the latter contacted him on Jan. 11 asking for $3 million or she would start a smear campaign to destroy the Warriors’ player’s reputation.

Oubre — a 6-year NBA vet who was a former 1st-round draft pick — claims his ex, Makena LeDuff, contacted him on January 11, 2021, and demanded a large sum of money … or she would retaliate against him.

“Makena demanded that Kelly her pay her nearly $3 million or she would make public her false, scurrilous, and extortionate allegations by the end of the week,” the lawsuit reads.

The suit claims LeDuff contacted Oubre and threatened to say he was engaged in “criminal conduct” and make other false allegations … all “crafted to cause maximum and irreparable harm to Kelly, his reputation, and his career.”

Oubre says that he’s yet to get his dogs back and this situation has been so unbearable that he’s sued the girl again. This is a very unfortunate situation and no one knows how it will end for the player and the girl.

Oubre has been struggling to find his best version with the Warriors and this thing won’t help him focus on what’s more important right now: basketball. He’s been under fire for his performances on the court and this can be more hurtful for him. He’s asking a judge to force Makena to pay for the property she supposedly damaged and give back his two dogs.