Damian Lillard’s Agent Believes Blazers, Heat Can Make a Deal

The agent for Damian Lillard indicated he is confident that the Heat will be able to acquire the Trail Blazers’ star guard in a trade, as relayed by Aaron Fentress of the Oregonian.

Lillard requested a trade to kick off July and has made it clear the Heat is the only team for which he wishes to play. Agent Aaron Goodwin told Fentress he recently spoke with Blazers GM Joe Cronin about Lillard’s preferred destination.

“I had a positive conversation with Joe and I made it clear that Damian would want [the Blazers] to sit down and have a meaningful negotiation with Miami,” Goodwin said. “And I think that’s something that Joe and the Blazers will do.”­

Cronin will no doubt talk to the Heat, who have a strong desire to make Lillard’s Miami dreams come true, pairing him with star wing Jimmy Butler and big man Bam Adebayo. But outside of those two, there’s not a whole lot in Miami that seems to interest Portland.

Still, Lillard and Goodwin are making it clear that it’s Miami or bust, and Goodwin has publicly discouraged other teams from pursuit. 

Other teams, however, are not buying the idea that Lillard would avoid reporting if acquired — especially while under contract, losing massive amounts of money for the next three years of his contract. And Cronin is indeed engaged with other teams.

But again, Goodwin has made it clear that the Heat — and only the Heat — are the team Lillard wants.

“I don’t think another team would do a deal like that knowing everything that’s going on,” Goodwin told Fentress. “But if they do, then they don’t know Dame.”

Damian Lillard’s agent believes Blazers and Heat will reach a deal

Other teams need not bother.

“I don’t think another team would do a deal like that knowing everything that’s going on,” Aaron Goodwin said. “But if they do, then they don’t know Dame.”https://t.co/7bvZXrxQ8Y

— Aaron J. Fentress (@AaronJFentress) July 7, 2023