When a team advances to the NBA Finals, they’ve had a successful season. Yes, they want to win. The most competitive players in the league won’t count a mere trip to the Finals as a victory. Still, we can’t undersell what an accomplishment it is for a team to advance to the last round of the playoffs.
Any team that accomplishes that goal sets expectations for the following season. Specifically, they’ll be expected to compete for the NBA title. Those are the expectations that the Miami Heat are currently shouldering. Apparently, they know it. By all accounts, the Heat are making an effort to trade for Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Will they be successful in their pursuit? It’s hard to say. The Heat don’t necessarily have the assets to make a move for Lillard. With that in mind, if they fail to acquire him, don’t be surprised if the Heat look to make a different roster upgrade at some point in the season. Could they make a move for a different Trail Blazer?
The Trade Proposal
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G Kyle Lowry, 2027 First-Round Pick (MIA)
Miami Heat Receive: F Jerami Grant
This deal makes sense. We’ll see whether it gets made. After all, it’s entirely possible that these two sides will get sick of each other in the process of Lillard negotiations. We wouldn’t be surprised if there was some bad blood here by the end of the summer.
By all accounts, the Heat are being stubborn. They want Lillard, but they aren’t willing to offer market value for him. Fair enough. Lillard has made his interest in joining the Heat well-known. He’s effectively destroyed his own market. Realistically, it’s Lillard that has put the Blazers in this difficult situation.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers & Miami Heat Updates
Will Portland’s front office see it that way? Could we blame them for holding a grudge against the Heat? We’ll see how the situation unfolds. Could that grudge be so severe as to stop Portland from making a deal with Miami?
Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do The Deal
It shouldn’t be. This is business – not personal. Let’s assume that the Blazers will make a deal with the Heat. This would be a beneficial deal for them in more ways than one. If Portland is trading Lillard elsewhere and starting a rebuild, this is a perfect trade for them.
For starters, acquiring Lowry makes sense. He’s on an expiring contract. The Blazers would be happy to enjoy tremendous cap relief after signing Grant to a long-term deal. Moreover, Lowry is a perfect veteran mentor for this young team. He’s seen it all in the NBA, and he can impart that wisdom to young guards like Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Anfernee Simons.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers & Miami Heat Updates
Still, the main draw here is the first-round pick. The Blazers already have exciting young players on this roster. Flipping Grant for an unprotected first would make their future even brighter. Should the Heat give that pick up?
Why The Miami Heat Do The Deal
In this year’s playoffs, the Heat could have used Lillard. Sure. At the same time, that wasn’t the most pressing need to jump off of the screen. The Heat could have used another four. A rangy wing with the tools to contain Aaron Gordon could have gone a long way towards helping them topple the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals.
Grant fits the bill. Granted (pun intended), Miami is losing a point guard in the process of landing him. They also lost Gabe Vincent this summer. That’s fine. Miami can likely find a guard who’s as impactful as Lowry is today on the waiver wire. If not, they could make a separate trade. The Heat wouldn’t be trying to land a Lillard here – a Lowry replacement should be much more affordable.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers & Miami Heat Updates
If they can replace Lowry and add Grant, they’ll be a much better team. The Heat could deploy an aggressive switching scheme on defense with Grant, Bam Adebayo, and Jimmy Butler in the front court. Moreover, Grant’s floor spacing makes him a strong compliment for Miami’s two best players. If all goes well, the Heat could find themselves back in the NBA Finals next season.
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