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Grade the mock trade: Heat give up on Lillard, acquire All-Star forward

By Noah Decker

SALT LAKE CITY UT- DECEMBER 28: Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz walks to the foul line against the Miami Heat during the second half of their game December 31, 2022 at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY UT- DECEMBER 28: Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz walks to the foul line against the Miami Heat during the second half of their game December 31, 2022 at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) /
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The Miami Heat are the favorites to be the next destination for Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, who requested a trade this offseason. However, it is not guaranteed that the Heat will be able to land him. They might want to search the market for a plan B.

Bleacher Report proposed an alternative to targeting Lillard. Instead, they proposed a trade in which the Heat would acquire an All-Star forward who had a breakout season last year.

The trade is as follows:

"Miami Heat Receive: Lauri Markkanen Utah Jazz Receive: Jaime Jaquez Jr., Duncan Robinson, 2024 first-round pick* (top-one protection), 2028 first-round pick (top-three protection) (*Miami must renegotiate protections on 2025 obligation to Oklahoma City so it conveys in 2026.)"

The Jazz haven’t expressed any interest in trading Lauri Markkanen. If they were to explore the market for him, they could receive some solid value in return. The star forward is coming off of the best season of his career, averaging 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. His near 11-point increase from the prior season with improved efficiency led to him being named the Most Improved Player for the 2022-23 NBA season.

Let’s break down why this trade works for both sides.

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