AUCH’s Damian Lillard gut check: Will the Heat get their man?
By Wes Goldberg
The Damian Lillard saga has taken longer than expected, but the Portland Trail Blazers could be ready to make a move soon. Will they ultimately trade Lillard to the Miami Heat? To break down the latest buzz, the All U Can Heat staff got together to chat about the latest, and when a trade might go down.
In one-to-two sentences, describe your range of emotions over these last three months as we’ve waited for a Damian Lillard trade.
Max Escarpio: Despite a surge in happiness when Lillard first requested the trade, my emotions have been quite still from the end of last season. It’s bitter to know they fell short of a title, but they still have a championship roster that fans should be excited for.
Brennan Sims: I’m still confident Portland will stop being stubborn and trade Lillard to Miami before the season starts, so I’m happy. The constant updates with no results have been annoying but ultimately, I’m still ecstatic because I believe Miami will land Lillard.
Azam Masood: I went from pure elation in July seeing Miami as a top option for Dame to completely numb to all of the discourse. Once it became clear Portland plans to drag this out as long as possible, I stopped hinging on every morsel of news.
Gabriel Coelho: It’s been a mix of excitement, anxiety, and tension. Lillard would be a huge addition to Miami’s offense and might be the missing piece after we fell short so many times in the last few seasons.
On a scale of 1-5, how confident are you that Damian Lillard will be playing for the Heat this season, and why?
Escarpio: As of late September my confidence lies at a three. Miami is obviously the No. 1 option for Lillard, but the Trail Blazers front office doesn’t seem pleased with any offer that’s been sent their way.
Sims: My confidence level sits around four. I understand the Trail Blazers are looking for a “better” deal, but they just drafted Scoot Henderson. Why go into the season with a point guard that could potentially be your next franchise player and another veteran point guard that would potentially stunt Scoot’s growth?
Masood: I’m at about a four with the only caveat being that I cannot completely rule out Cronin and the Blazers brass being so recalcitrant that after months of hemming and hawing about expecting a haul for Lillard they take a worse offer from a non-Miami team out of pure, bilious spite.
Coelho: Probably four. I’m nervous because the Blazers seem to want to send him anywhere else out of spite.