On Monday, the Miami Heat completed a stunning three-team trade with the Los Angeles Clippers and the Utah Jazz, obtaining great scorer Norman Powell from the Clippers.
After the deal was finalized, Heat team president Pat Riley and the rest of the franchise’s front office were praised by the broader NBA media landscape for acquiring a peripheral All-Star guard who could aid All-Star Tyler Herro in the backcourt.
Powell’s arrival to the roster might help the team emerge as a dark horse in a wide-open Eastern Conference in 2025-26, but the team may decide that there is still work to be done.
In fact, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel recently stated that the Heat are once again in the running to sign Damian Lillard, a 9-time All-Star and NBA 75th Anniversary Team member, for the second time in three summers.
“Damian Lillard isn’t rushing to make a decision about his future,” Siegel wrote Tuesday evening.
“After suffering a torn Achilles and being released by the (Milwaukee) Bucks, Lillard and his camp have talked with several notable teams in playoff-contending positions, league sources said.”
In the immediate wake of the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to waive the future Hall of Famer on Monday, Siegel revealed some of the legendary guard’s top possible destinations.
“The Heat have long been linked to Lillard even before he was traded to the Bucks in 2023, and both the Boston Celtics and (Golden State) Warriors find themselves near the top of the list for Lillard as well.”
While teams like the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics may interest Lillard with championship wins this decade in 2022 and 2024, respectively, the Heat’s two NBA Finals appearances in the last half-decade may be enough to entice the all-time great point guard away.
Lillard’s tremendously bad Achilles injury will likely keep him out for the whole 2025-26 season, regardless of where he ends up. Nonetheless, the seven-time All-NBA Team pick can easily boost any competitor in the league to the odds-on crown.
In 58 regular-season appearances with the Bucks, Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.7 rebounds while making 37.6% of his 9.0 three-point tries and 92.1% of his free-throw attempts.
After missing out on Lillard via trade during the 2023 summer, the Heat will have another good shot to get the renowned scoring guard aboard before the 2025-26 season.
Leave a Reply