Not like this, Miami. Not like this.
Months after Portland Trailblazers guard Damian Lillard formally requested a trade to the Miami Heat — and only the Miami Heat — the Blazers have ended a calculated, patient, and at times frustrating approach to negotiations by shipping Lillard, who had spent 11 seasons in Portland, to the Milwaukee Bucks.
You read that right: Dame Time in the MIL, not the MIA.
Pain. Horrendous, unrelenting, physical and emotional pain.
BREAKING: The Portland Trail Blazers are trading guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/FRgQyDVjQG
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 27, 2023
Ménage à Trade
In a development reminiscent of a scene out of Oppenheimer, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski unleashed his trademark "Woj Bomb" on Wednesday to break the news of the three-team trade under which Lillard, a seven-time All-Star and one of the NBA's most thrilling talents, would be teaming up with Milwaukee's perennial MVP contender Giannis Antetokounmpo rather than the Miami Heat.In the labyrinthine trade with Lillard at the center, the Trail Blazers received Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, Milwaukee's 2029 unprotected first-round draft pick, and unprotected Milwaukee swap rights in 2028 and 2030.
The Phoenix Suns acquired Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson as part of the three-way trade package.
“Time Spent” 😂
— Brendan Tobin (@Brendan_Tobin) September 27, 2023
This man is good at this pic.twitter.com/K3MZWCF3Yx
Time to Pivot: Where Miami Goes From Here
When it comes to offseason roster shuffling, there is always a Plan B. But with months of wasted energy and unenforced errors, Plan B could quickly become Plan D, especially if a team begins the season with a whimper.The Heat missing out on Damian Lillard is a significant setback, period. The team had pinned high hopes on acquiring him, and now that he is off the table, the Heat are in a challenging position, one that includes the obvious blowback of repairing relationships with players who know they attempted to ship out of town.
And if you take the subtle "Time Spent" caption on Tyler Herro's Instagram account as a jab at the news of Lillard, AKA "Dame Time," being traded to the Bucks, clearing the air with him will be no easy task.
The Heat expressed confidence in its young players throughout the process, and this trade miss indicates that they were reluctant to part with their promising talent, even for a player of Lillard's caliber. This situation is embarrassing for the Heat organization in light of Lillard's laser-like focus on securing a move to the Magic City, and the Heat's unavailing offseason efforts to make his dream come true.
The Miami Heat now have two options to consider:
- Run it back: The Heat could keep their current roster intact and hope for the best. However, this would mean entering the upcoming season with a team that, on paper, may not be as strong as last season's. They face uncertainties (unproven, young players), players possibly angered by being offered or considered in trades that didn't occur (Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Kyle Lowry), aging veterans (Lowry, Kevin Love), potential leadership issues (Udonis Haslem retired), and a starting lineup that needs reshaping following the loss of Gabe Vincent and Max Strus in free agency.
- Roll the dice: The other option is to explore alternative trade opportunities, such as pursuing James Harden, who is seeking a trade out of Philadelphia. While this would be risky, it's still on the table as a potential option for the Heat. Other options include trading Tyler Herro but for a package of veteran players that fill multiple current holes.
Training Camp Time
Now that Dame Time has expired, it is time for actual on-the-court basketball to replace social media rumors. On October 3, the Heat will kick off their annual training camp where, barring an unexpected trade, the roster since mid-summer is what fans will get on media day.Posing for pictures for the in-game jumbotron and promotional campaigns, a handful of players who weren't sure they would be playing in Miami or halfway across the nation will now come together as if nothing happened, because what other choice do they have?
Regardless, the Miami Heat will have to regroup quickly, repair relationships, assess their options, and make tough decisions as they approach the start of the new season.
After months of speculation, missing out on Damian Lillard is a capital "L" in the offseason win-loss column, but as the Heat mantra about not making excuses goes — We have enough.
