Kofi Inkoom
Damian Lillard purportedly turned away from the Miami Heat and redirected his attention towards the Milwaukee Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets.
This shift in focus came about due to trade discussions between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Miami Heat encountering obstacles, as revealed by an NBA insider.
Though the Damian Lillard sweepstakes has concluded, with the Milwaukee Bucks emerging as the winners after successfully acquiring the star player.
However, the aftermath of the trade is unfolding, with reports from NBA insiders indicating that Lillard expressed interest in joining the Milwaukee Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets, as negotiations with the Miami Heat reached a standstill. This revelation comes from Mar Spears.
According to Marc Spears, recognizing the stagnation in talks with the Miami Heat, Damian Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, discreetly conveyed Lillard’s desire to potentially join the Bucks or the Nets about ten days ago.
Sources to @andscape: With Miami talks going nowhere, agent Aaron Goodwin privately told the Bucks and Nets 10 days ago that Dame would be interested in a deal there. The Raptors were a real contender to land the ex-Blazers star, but ultimately Bucks got it done per Woj report.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) September 27, 2023
The Miami Heat, in their pursuit of Damian Lillard, reportedly offered Tyler Herro along with two second-round draft picks. However, this proposal did not align with the Trail Blazers’ vision, and they explored other options, leading to Miami’s unsuccessful bid for the star point guard.
The Toronto Raptors, on the other hand, possessed valuable assets, but it seems they were unwilling to part with key players in the trade, including Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes, which ultimately hindered the completion of a deal.
Throughout his impressive career, Damian Lillard was a stalwart for the Portland Trail Blazers, participating in over 760 games and boasting averages of 25.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists during his time with the team.