With the Miami Heat having questions about players like Duncan Robinson, Tuesday’s stunning developments may have exposed the team’s next free agent target. As the Heat re-sign Davion Mitchell, the franchise may try to strengthen its backcourt with Damian Lillard.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Milwaukee Bucks have waived Lillard, buying out the remaining $113 million owed to him. Shortly after, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press reported that Miami is “expected to have interest” in the 34-year-old.
“The Heat — this is no surprise — are expected to have interest in Damian Lillard, who very surprisingly now holds a lot of cards he didn’t expect to hold,” Reynolds said on X, which used to be Twitter.
Miami has already expressed interest in Lillard, as the team was in extensive trade talks with the Portland Trail Blazers following their 2023 NBA Finals trip. Lillard was finally traded to Milwaukee, where he has spent the last two seasons, although he has since been cut after tearing his Achilles tendon.
Aside from the Heat, NBA expert Chris Haynes has identified the Trail Blazers as a team to watch for in reuniting with Lillard.
Heat and Damian Lillard have shared an attraction in the past.
While the Heat had been linked to Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, Lillard’s waiver adds an interesting wrinkle to the team’s free agency period. The team has had a quiet start, with no movements since the window began on Monday evening.
Miami appears to be interested in Lillard, as expected, and the star is likely to reciprocate, having demanded a trade there while with the Trail Blazers. Lillard may choose which team he wants to join, but it’s worth noting that the guard will miss the most of next season due to the aforementioned injury.
In Milwaukee, Haynes reports that Giannis Antetokounmpo, who Miami has long been linked to, is “not pleased” with the decision.
“Sources that relayed to me that Giannis Antetokounmpo is not pleased with the Bucks’ decision to buy out Damian Luther for the remainder of his contract, and he just didn’t like how it was handled,” Haynes told NBA TV on Wednesday. “And so, you know, Giannis this whole this whole offseason, since this season ended, he’s been, you know, weighing his options and trying to figure out what he was going to do, trying to navigate his future.”
This free agency period has just become more exciting for the Heat, as it remains to be seen what changes they will make. At any rate, Miami is looking to improve after finishing 37-45, ranking 10th in the Eastern Conference after being swept by the No. 1 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
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