The Miami Heat would make a big mistake by convincing themselves that they don’t need Damian Lillard.
The Miami Heat can’t say they’re all about winning championships and then try to let it be known that they don’t NEED Damian Lillard. Those two things can’t coexist. Unless, of course, they’re perfectly fine with punting on the Jimmy Butler small championship window that still exists.
Even though Damian Lillard has demanded a trade away from the Portland Trail Blazers, and to the Miami Heat, it’s no foregone conclusion that he’s going to eventually get his wish. At this point, with virtually no communication between the two sides, who knows how this situation is going to end?
What’s most concerning from the Heat’s perspective is the fact that we’re beginning to hear reports that suggest they aren’t trying to force the issue.
We’re hearing the likes of “Miami is trying to hold certain players out of a deal” and that “they’re comfortable with going into the season with their roster.” Whether or not those whispers are accurate is not what’s important.
At least for now, it doesn’t seem as if the Heat is all that desperate to complete this deal before the start of the season, and that’s a problem.
It seems as if the Heat may have convinced themselves that they may not need Damian Lillard.
There have been times in the past when the Heat has gotten so full of themselves that it’s led them to make huge organizational mistakes. They did so in 2016 when they low-balled Dwyane Wade and again in 2017 when they believed they had successfully rebuilt the careers of Dion Waiters and James Johnson. Those mistakes in back-to-back offseason put the franchise back 2-3 seasons.
And if it wasn’t for Jimmy choosing the Heat back in 2019, I’m not sure where the team would be right now.
Nevertheless, the Heat find themselves in another similar situation. After another unforeseen run to the NBA Finals, it would be easy for the Heat to say that they don’t NEED Lillard. They just made it to the NBA Finals without a healthy Tyler Herro. But, see, that’s flawed thinking.
Miami wasn’t a healthy Herro away from beating the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. I’m not sure there was any team beating Denver last season. With arguably a worse roster, it would be foolish for the Heat to think they’re in a better position heading into this season than they were last year.
And we all know how the regular season finished a year ago.
Could the Heat make another unlikely deep playoff run in the Eastern Conference this season, sure. Is it likely? No. Would it be malpractice for Miami to not strongly pursue Lillard? Yes. Especially considering that the Heat entered the offseason with the goal of finding another star.
Lillard is right in front of them. He’s done everything everyone has been asking him to do for years. He’s demanded a trade. He’s asked the Blazers to trade him to the Heat. Now it’s on Miami to figure out how to close the deal.
The Heat has made plenty of mistakes in the past, but none would be greater than convincing themselves that they don’t really need to trade for Lillard.