One NBA writer has named Damian Lillard, Paul George and Pascal Siakam as the Miami Heat’s top trade targets. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes the Heat should try to trade for Lillard, George or Siakam.
Lillard has requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers and only wants to get traded to the Heat. However, Portland hasn’t been impressed with Miami’s offers for Lillard, who doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract.
“If Miami can’t get Lillard, it shouldn’t automatically abandon its star search,” Buckley wrote in his latest NBA trade column. “Both George and Siakam have uncertain futures with free agency awaiting them next summer—George would have to decline a $48.8 million player option for 2024-25 to get there—and maybe that uncertainty would drop their trade costs enough to fit the Heat’s budget.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Paul George, Pascal Siakam, Miami Heat Updates
The Heat lost to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals in five games. The front office believes the team is one star away from winning multiple championships since Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo have guided the franchise to two Finals appearances.
Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists last season while shooting 46.3% from the field, 37.1% from beyond the arc and 91.4% from the free-throw line.
George put up 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game for the Los Angeles Clippers last season while shooting 45.7% from the floor, 37.1% from 3 and 87.1% from the foul line.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Paul George, Pascal Siakam, Miami Heat Updates
Finally, Siakam averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists for the Toronto Raptors in 2022-23. The NBA champion shot 48.0% overall, 32.4% from beyond the arc and 77.4% from the free-throw line.
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