"That's going to be a gut punch for them" - NBA analyst believes Heat fumbling Damian Lillard trade is catastrophic for Miami

Damian Lillard has not changed his stance and insists on leaving the Portland Trail Blazers and joining the Miami Heat. He has made it clear that he will either stay with the Blazers or move to the Heat and has no intention of playing for any other NBA franchise.

Miami looks like the frontrunner in this case, but any talks with Portland have stalled, as the start of training camp in early October nears. Rumors and reports continue to surface regarding the future of the All-Star guard, but it looks like the franchise has invested a lot in this trade.

This is what NBA insider Shams Charania believes, adding that it will be a major upset for Miami if they don't land Lillard, based on the offseason moves they made.

"If Miami misses out on Damian Lillard, that's going to be a gut punch for them, because they have been preparing for that," Charania said on "The Rally." "Gabe Vincent leaves in free agency. Max Strus leaves in free agency. They have been building the whole summer on going and getting Damian Lillard."

Still, there is no progress in trade talks between the Heat and Blazers. Portland is attempting to get the most out of this opportunity in terms of picks and players, but Miami has no desire to blow out its full roster.

"They want the Heat to literally scrounge into every nook and cranny and produce everything they possibly can. The Heat don't feel a need to do that," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said.

What is next if the Heat fail to land Lillard?

Trade talks between the Blazers and Heat should intensify over the next few weeks, as Miami is inclined to make another offer for Damian Lillard. But what happens if the Heat fail to land him eventually?

Miami's options are limited here. They could either wait to see how things will play out between the All-Star guard and Portland in the first part of the season and give it a try heading into February's trade deadline.

The other NBA superstar who has asked for a trade is James Harden, but it is not likely Miami will pursue him. Harden had named the LA Clippers as his preferred destination, but talks between the Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers ended.

The other option they have is to keep their current roster intact and try to maintain their contending status even though they lost two key players in Vincent and Strus. However, Tyler Herro will return to the lineup fully healthy, while Thomas Bryant bolsters the frontline as a backup center.

Damian Lillard would bring some extra star power to Miami, making it a grand favorite for the championship. But even without him, the Heat have shown they can go all the way with three Eastern Conference finals (2020, 2022, 2023) and two NBA Finals appearances (2020, 2023) over the last four years.

To have another deep playoff run next year, they will need their whole roster to step up, especially role players, like Duncan Robinson, who struggled last year.