In what could end up being the gamble of the offseason, the Miami Heat have "serious interest" in Damian Lillard. It's no surprise considering they had an interest in him two years ago, before he was ultimately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. I'd argue that if the Heat were to close the deal for Lillard this time around, it'd be a move that would do wonders for Tyler Herro.
Herro is a very good player. At this point, he's probably one of the most underrated offensive talents in the league. He's a good shooter, he's improved as a playmaker, and even made the leap to All-Star status this past season. If there's one thing that he isn't, it's a No. 1 option on a good team. Right now, that's the role he's been forced into with the Heat.
But bringing in a player like Lillard could help take significant pressure off his shoulders. For a second, let's forget that Lillard is coming off an Achilles injury. Even though that's important, we've recently seen players bounce back from that specific injury at unprecedented levels. From a basketball perspective, the addition of Lillard makes a ton of sense for a Heat team in desperate need of an alpha.
Lillard could be the alpha the Heat needs
Lillard's biggest impact will be in end-of-the-game scenarios. If there's one thing we learned this past season, it's that the Heat struggled mightily in clutch-game situations, and even Herro admitted the difficulty in those moments.
Tyler Herro:
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) April 30, 2025
“Coming into the season, thinking I was going to be playing a lot off the ball.”
Mentions what transpired forced him back onto the ball a ton
“I learned closing games isn’t as easy as some people make it look.”
Lillard, notorious for being one of the best clutch players over the course of his career, would be a natural fit for the Heat to fit that role. Again, if Lillard is even 80 percent the player he was before the injury, that would give the Heat the necessary boost they need to help take another step forward in their road back to relevancy in the Eastern Conference.
If the Heat are going to get the most out of their dynamic duo of Herro and Bam Adebayo, a player like Lillard is going to need to be added at some point in the not-so-distant future. What makes the move for Lillard all the more appealing is the lack of risk that comes with it.
It'd be one thing if the Heat were trading for a player coming off an Achilles injury. This gamble is not that. The Heat wouldn't be giving up any assets for Lillard. They'd just be betting on a two-year contract with him. They'd probably lose the first year as he continues to rehab, but that second year could be worth the gamble. That's what the Heat would be betting on.
Would Miami be worth taking that type of approach? Are they patient enough to see the potential in such a move? All of that remains to be seen. But if the Heat does want to make a low-risk move to help put Herro and Bam in winning positions, putting the full-court press on Lillard would make a ton of sense.