<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/kobe-bryant" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kobe Bryant</a> was so dominant that he — literally — changed modern<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> NBA</a> history. His dominance with the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/los-angeles-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a> paved the way for today’s way of building a team.



If you don’t take our word for it, you should ask Dwyane Wade. In a recent interview, the legendary shooting guard admitted that Kobe’s fifth ring made him realize that the league was in trouble.



That’s why he reached out to <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/lebron-james" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LeBron James</a> and Chris Bosh to put together a Big 3 in Miami, which led to them dominating the Eastern Conference and winning two rings.



<h2>Kobe’s Dominance Led To The Heat’s Big 3</h2>



“As soon as Kobe ran and grabbed that ball [after the 2010 championship] I was like, ‘LeBron, so what you gonna do&apos;”? Wade admitted. “That was our summer free agency. They were dominating. Kobe was winning all these rings. I was like, ‘Hold on, now he got five and we got 1? Like no’. That changed the league.”



Nowadays, all teams want to have a Big 3 of their own to compete at the highest level. Notably, Bryant had his fair share of star teammates, but he never had a Big 3 of his own.


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It’s ironic to see all those memes about Stephen Curry and the Phoenix Suns stacking up players to beat an aging LeBron James when in reality, it was James the one who teamed up to beat the Black Mamba. That’s influence. That’s dominance.

Dwyane Wade admits Kobe Bryant made him recruit LeBron to Miami

Dwyane Wade admits Kobe Bryant made him recruit LeBron to Miami - Bolavip US

miniaturas

As you may know by now, the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miami Heat </a>are reportedly trying to get <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Damian Lillard </a>at all costs, as the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/portland-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Portland Trail Blazers</a> star doesn’t want to continue his stay in Rip City anymore.



The Blazers have been reluctant to engage in serious talks with Pat Riley’s team, and with the training camp just around the corner, some fear this move won’t go down at all.



It seems like this trade had been years in the making, as an old tweet from 2011 recently resurfaced. Ironically, Lillard tweeted that as much as he was a Heat fan, teams forming Big 3s was bad for the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA.</a>



<h2>Damian Lillard’s Old Tweet Resurfaces</h2>



“I am a Heat fan lol but I’m not a fan of everyone trying to make their own big 3 lol. Not good for the league,” read the tweet.



Needless to say, fans from all over the world put Lillard on blast, as he’s now looking to form a Big 3 of his own alongside the likes of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.


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Of course, judging someone for what he said 12 years ago as a teenager might not be the way to go, but it’s funny and crazy to see how life can come at you pretty fast.

Damian Lillard facing backlash over old tweet about the Miami Heat

Damian Lillard facing backlash over old tweet about the Miami Heat - Bolavip US

Ever since they lost to Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets in the 2023 <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba">NBA</a> Finals, the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat">Miami Heat</a> knew they would need another superstar to win a championship. That’s why <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard">Damian Lillard</a> has been their priority target this offseason.



At 33, Dame is also craving for an elusive ring, which explains his decision to request a trade out of the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/portland-trail-blazers">Portland Trail Blazers</a>. The guard was loyal to the team since 2012, but now he finally feels that it’s time to move on.



Lillard has reportedly made it clear he only wants to be traded to Miami, but the Blazers haven’t made things easy so far. After months of negotiating, it looks like the Heat are daring Portland to get a better offer elsewhere.



<h2>Rumor: Heat challenge Blazers to find a better offer for Lillard</h2>



According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Miami Heat are challenging the Portland Trail Blazers to find a better compensation for Damian Lillard than what they have already offered.



“They want Damian Lillard. They just want him for as little as they’re going to have to give up. They’re essentially daring Portland to go out into the marketplace — which Portland is doing — and see if they can find better,” Woj said.



<h2>Will another team trade for Lillard?</h2>



Since Lillard let everyone know he only wants to play for Miami, it’s hard to believe another team will step in. His agent even warned other NBA franchises that trading for his client would be “trading for an unhappy player.”


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That said, Dame has three guaranteed years left on his current contract, which is a lot of time to refuse to play. Besides, at 33, he cannot spend so much time on the sidelines.

NBA Rumors: The Heat's bold decision on Damian Lillard trade talks

NBA Rumors: The Heat's bold decision on Damian Lillard trade talks - Bolavip US

<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard">Damian Lillard</a> has been the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat">Miami Heat</a>’s priority target for months now, but the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/portland-trail-blazers">Portland Trail Blazers</a> have yet to let the 7x <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba">NBA</a> 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.



<h2>Rumor: Blazers want Heat to show same desire for Lillard than Suns did for Durant</h2>



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.


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<h2>How many years does Damian Lillard have left in his contract?</h2>



Damian Lillard has a $63 million player option for the 2026-27 season before hitting unrestricted free agency in 2027.

NBA Rumors: What the Blazers want from Heat to let Damian Lillard go

NBA Rumors: What the Blazers want from Heat to let Damian Lillard go - Bolavip US

It’s not a secret that the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miami Heat </a>are desperately trying to get <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Damian Lillard.</a> However, the<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/portland-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Portland Trail Blazers </a>have been reluctant to engage in serious trade talks with them.



Any trade for Lillard would obviously cost the Heat plenty of depth, and all transactions would be centered around Tyler Herro, Miami’s rising star and most tradeable piece.



However, if the Heat and Blazers were to end trade talks, then a new report states that Herro could be their new starting point guard for the upcoming <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> season, with Kyle Lowry coming off the bench.



<h2>Tyler Herro Could Run Point For The Heat</h2>



“Kyle Lowry is the only natural point guard on the Heat’s roster, but a person familiar with the team’s thinking said he won’t be surprised if the Heat opts for Tyler Herro or even Josh Richardson as a starting primary ball handler if it’s unable to acquire Lillard before the season opener,” per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “Lowry could continue to come off the bench in that scenario.”



Of course, Herro isn’t a traditional playmaker or point guard by any means, but it’s not like they’re getting a lot out of Lowry lately. Also, they need someone to run the second unit, with Gabe Vincent gone to the Lakers.


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Even so, we expect the Heat to re-engage in talks for Lillard before training camp starts. If not, then they should be all over whichever star player becomes available, as they lost a lot of depth this summer.

Miami Heat have a plan for Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry if they can't get Damian Lillard

Miami Heat have a plan for Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry if they can't get Damian Lillard - Bolavip US

Throughout the course of his career, <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Damian Lillard </a>has earned a reputation for being one of the most respectable characters in the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a>, and he’s always been a fan favorite for the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/portland-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Portland Trail Blazers.</a>



That’s why not many people think he’s going to be capable of forcing his way out of Rip City, as he’s not the kind of guy who’ll look to make everybody uncomfortable just to get his way, just like James Harden.



With that in mind, an insider reports that Lillard could even agree to play for another team, even though he remains adamant about playing for the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miami Heat.</a>



<h2>Damian Lillard Could Be Traded Somewhere Else</h2>



“If the Blazers and a team other than Miami hammered out a deal that Portland deemed more desirable than what they could acquire through dealing with the Heat, sources say Lillard would show up to his new team, do his job and play to the best of his abilities,” Blazers insider Aaron Fentress wrote.



“But his desire to go to Miami, sources say, would not dissipate. As Charania stated, that trade demand would still exist. He would be seeking to get out of wherever he found himself the day he arrived,” he added.


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Right now, it seems like the ball is on the Blazers’ court. Lillard might want to keep this civil and avoid further scandal, but it’s clear he won’t change his mind about leaving the team.

Damian Lillard could change his stance on trade to Miami Heat

Damian Lillard could change his stance on trade to Miami Heat - Bolavip US

<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Damian Lillard</a> has been all over the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> news for the past two months. His stalemate with the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/portland-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Portland Trail Blazers</a> has drawn mixed reviews among the community.



Some believe the Blazers are right by holding onto him because he still has four years left in his contract. Others believe they oughta do right by him after all he’s done for them.



Whatever the case, it seems like he’s decided to take matters into his own hands already. According to Shams Charania, he will only attend training camp if he’s with the Blazers or the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miami Heat.</a>



<h2>Dame Lillard Won’t Show To Training Camp For Any Other Team</h2>



“Expect Portland and Miami to re-engage before the start of training camp that’s coming up in the next two and a half weeks,” Charania said. “Really, at this point, I’m told that the only two training camps that Damian Lillard would report to, in theory: Portland and Miami.”



“So if a team like Toronto were to trade for Damian Lillard, I do not believe Lillard would even report,” Shams added. “That Dame trade request would still be there if he were to be traded into a team like Toronto or anyone else that really wants to take a chance at this. I think teams around the league,’ they’ve understood that a guy like Damian Lillard, at the age of 33, with $216 million left on his deal over the next four seasons, him joining their program and wanting a trade immediately is unideal.”


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Of course, the Blazers are in no rush to move him, especially if he’s willing to partake in training camp for them, but things could get ugly if they don’t find a solution soon.

Damian Lillard makes the ultimate powermove to force trade to Miami

Damian Lillard makes the ultimate powermove to force trade to Miami - Bolavip US

It’s not a secret that the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miami Heat </a>have been trying to get <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Damian Lillard</a> for quite a while. But the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/portland-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Portland Trail Blazers </a>aren’t interested in whatever they have to offer.



The clock is ticking, and Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra know they need another star if they want to compete at the highest level. Notably, there aren’t that many options available right now.



With that in mind, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes they could make a run at Dallas Mavericks star <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/kyrie-irving" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kyrie Irving</a>, assuming Mark Cuban’s team gets tired of his availability issues.



<h2>Heat Could Pursue Kyrie Irving</h2>



(via Bleacher Report)



“The Trade: Irving to the Miami Heat for Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin and Nikola Jović



Dallas’ decision to re-sign Irving this offseason was as much about retaining an asset as it was keeping the high-scoring guard around.



After losing Jalen Brunson for nothing the previous summer, the Mavs couldn’t afford to let go of another impact guard. But keeping Irving won’t necessarily cure what ails this team, which went just 9-18 after he debuted.



Dallas struggled with depth this past season, and while it added a few rotation players over the offseason, it might not still have enough to ascend in the West.



This deal could give Luka Dončić a capable co-star in Herro (a 20-point scorer each of the past two seasons), plus a three-and-D wing in Martin. Jović is a wild card, but he’s a 6’10” combo forward who can score and create.



Because of Irving’s availability issues, few teams might view him as a positive asset at this point, but Miami could see him as a suitable alternative if its Damian Lillard pursuit doesn’t pan out.”


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Of course, that will only happen if the Heat get tired of waiting for Lillard, and if Kyrie starts doing… Kyrie things within the organization, so maybe this is a bit of a long shot.

NBA Rumors: Heat could trade for Kyrie Irving, but there's a catch

NBA Rumors: Heat could trade for Kyrie Irving, but there's a catch - Bolavip US

In the summer of 2010, the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat" rel="sponsored nofollow">Miami Heat</a> pulled off a historic move by pairing <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/lebron-james">LeBron James</a> with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in South Florida. Unsurprisingly, that paid off in two <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba">NBA</a> championships.



The Heat failed to get the trophy in the first season with their Big Three, suffering an unexpected loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. However, they bounced back with consecutive rings in 2012 and 2013.



LeBron went on to succeed in Cleveland and Los Angeles, but those two victories with the Heat will always be special. Though Wade and Bosh played a pivotal role in his first titles, Gilbert Arenas believes Udonis Haslem deserves credit for The King’s success in Miami.



<h2>Gilbert Arenas says LeBron won in Miami because of Udonis Haslem</h2>



“The two championships LeBron got there, you got to credit him for it because he’s the one that took the pay cut to make it happen,” Gilbert Arenas said on his podcast. “UD was offered $33 million to go to Milwaukee, turned that down, and signed whatever was left. He protected his stars. You foul Dwyane Wade, you hit LeBron, you hit anybody on this team, I’m coming.“



<h2>When did LeBron James leave the Heat?</h2>



LeBron James left the Miami Heat in the summer of 2014, shortly after losing the NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs.



That offseason, The King decided to go back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, aiming to help the franchise that drafted him first overall in 2003 win its first ever NBA championship.



<h2>How many seasons did Udonis Haslem spend in Miami?</h2>



Udonis Haslem spent 20 NBA seasons with the Miami Heat from 2003 to 2023.


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UD40 was part of the franchise’s three NBA championships (2006, 2012, and 2013), spending his last six seasons in South Florida on minimum contracts.

Gilbert Arenas' surprising take on who deserves credit for LeBron's success in Miami

Neither Wade nor Bosh: Gilbert Arenas says another Heat player let LeBron succeed - Bolavip US

Neither Wade nor Bosh: Gilbert Arenas says another Heat player let LeBron succeed

<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard">Damian Lillard</a> has been the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat">Miami Heat</a>’s priority target ever since they lost the 2023 <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba">NBA</a> Finals to the Denver Nuggets. With Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo off the table, the best asset they could offer was a package including Tyler Herro.



The 2021-22 Sixth Man of the Year has proven his worth in the league since being selected by the Heat with the 13th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. At 23, Herro still has his entire career ahead of him.



But of course, being mentioned as a possible bargaining chip is never nice for a player who is happy with his current team. In an appearance on The Crossover podcast, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated suggested Herro is unhappy with the Heat for involving him in trade talks this offseason.



<h2>Rumor: Tyler Herro unhappy with Heat for being included in trade talks</h2>



“Tyler Herro has not been pleased by all of that’s gone in Miami this offseason,” Mannix said, via SI.com. “How he’s just been bandied about as kind of filler in trade talks. Tyler Herro is a couple years removed from winning the Sixth Man of the Year.



“It was a disappointing finish to him last year. Tyler Herro believe he’s on a certain level. He has not been happy how his name has been tossed around in all these trade talks. Oftentimes, when we’re discussing Tyler Herro, we’re discussing how many teams don’t want him. That has not sat well with Tyler Herro.”



<h2>What’s Tyler Herro’s contract?</h2>



Tyler Herro signed a four-year, $120m deal with the Heat that kicks in this season.


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<h2>How many years does Lillard have left in his contract?</h2>



In 2022, Damian Lillard signed a two-year contract extension with the Blazers through the 2025–26 season with a player option for 2026–27.

NBA Rumors: Tyler Herro not happy with being mentioned in Damian Lillard trade talks

NBA Rumors: Tyler Herro not happy with being mentioned in Lillard trade talks - Bolavip US

<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard">Damian Lillard</a> has been linked with the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat">Miami Heat</a> for months, but it’s unclear whether the trade will ultimately come to fruition. This would be a match made in heaven, but the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/portland-trail-blazers">Portland Trail Blazers</a> aren’t making things easy.



At 33, Dame has realized his best shot at winning an elusive <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba">NBA</a> championship is outside Oregon. Miami, meanwhile, seems to be the perfect place where he can challenge for a coveted ring.



If the Heat were able to make the NBA Finals last season, Lillard could be the missing piece to win the prize next time. Though getting him out of Portland doesn’t seem easy, at least it looks like the Heat don’t have too many competitors.



<h2>Rumor: Heat are the only team really interested in Lillard</h2>



(Via Heat Nation)



“I don’t think anyone likes the idea of Dame coming in and forcing the Blazers’ hand like this, forcing them to take a deal from a team that does not have the assets,” one NBA front-office executive told Sean Deveney of Forbes. “That’s a bad precedent, and it is one we are seeing too much of. But if Dame had not said, ‘Miami or nothing,’ where else was Portland really going to go for a deal? Maybe Brooklyn? But where else? There’s not that many teams that are going to give you a bunch of players and picks for a 33-year-old who can’t stay healthy and has a giant contract sitting there.



“Of course, owners don’t want players picking their trade destination and shutting out the other 28 teams,” said the same executive. “But it was not anything Dame said or Aaron Goodwin said that shut down the market. That stuff didn’t help. But there weren’t teams lined up for him even before that.”



<h2>What’s Damian Lillard’s contract in Portland?</h2>



Last year, Damian Lillard signed a two-year contract extension with the Portland Trail Blazers through the 2025–26 season with a player option for 2026–27.


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<h2>When was the last time Lillard made the playoffs with the Blazers?</h2>



Damian Lillard hasn’t made the playoffs with the Portland Trail Blazers since the 2020-21 season.

Miami Heat