NBA Rumors: Miami Heat to be 'on the list' for Damian Lillard if he leaves Portland 

NBA insider Brian Windhorst said that the Miami Heat will be a possibility if Damian Lillard leaves the Portland Trail Blazers.

Portland had a terrible season, finishing 13th in the Western Conference. Missing the playoffs for the second straight season has led to rumors about Lillard moving, who, at 32 years old, finally seems to be running out of patience with the franchise. The Trail Blazers have failed to build a team around him capable of getting to the playoffs, let alone winning the championship.

Earlier in the season, Lillard said that he does not like the NBA culture of players consistently moving to form super teams in search of championships. However, after 11 seasons with the Trail Blazers, Lillard seems to be edging towards the exit.

Brian Windhorst said that the Miami Heat will be on the list of teams that are interested:

“I think the Heat are on the cusp of looking for another star maneuver. I would put them on the list for Dame Lillard if Dame ends up getting traded.

“If he goes to market, I think the Heat are on that list. I don’t know if they have enough. A lot of their offer would be built around Tyler Herro, who’s just injured. But I suspect – I don’t know for sure, just to be clear – I don’t know for sure that they would offer him, but I would suspect that that would be the type of thing. That and draft picks.”

Damian Lillard linked to a move to Miami Heat

Lillard has a player option for the 2024-25 season and has at least one more year on his deal.

The Miami Heat finished seventh in the Eastern Conference this season but are headed towards an upset playoff victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. With Jimmy Butler producing multiple big performances and a supporting cast of Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, Kevin Love and Duncan Robinson, adding another superstar could be enough to elevate them into title consideration.

Damian Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 7.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game this season. The 32-year old still has plenty of years left at the top level, and multiple teams are expected to emerge if he ends up pushing for a move. That would include the likes of Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and at least the Miami Heat.