It’s been the same way for a couple of weeks now, a stalemate in the talks to trade Damian Lillard. The story is simple — Lillard wants to be traded to Miami and only Miami, the Trail Blazers do not like the Heat’s offer — but getting past the basic logjam has proven difficult. At Las Vegas Summer League, the speculation was more about whether this gets resolved before training camps open rather than what a final deal will look like (although, good luck finding anyone who thinks Lillard doesn’t end up with the Heat).
If you want more evidence along these lines, here’s ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski wisely pointing out that with no looming deadline — the next notable NBA event is training camps opening in September — there is no pressure to change positions or get a deal done.
For the Miami perspective on this, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald Tweeted the Trail Blazers have been “unmotivated to engage” with the Heat on trade talks.
Here’s a quick summation of where things stand — and likely will stay until after football season starts:
• Damian Lillard has requested a trade, specifically to the Miami Heat.
• Miami’s best offer would be three first-round picks (once they change the protections on a pick owed the Thunder), a pick swap, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and another young player or two (Nikola Jovic or Jaime Jaquez Jr.). However, all of that is not on the table right now because the Heat do not feel the pressure of other suitors for Lillard.
• Portland is not impressed and reportedly wants four first-round picks and a couple of young rotation players for Lillard. Plus, it wants a third team to take on Herro and his about-to-start four-year, $120 million contract (the Blazers already have a similar player on a similar contract in Anfernee Simons).
• The Trail Blazers are under no obligation to send Lillard to Miami. However, they don’t have other good options as there has not been a robust market for the 32-year-old All-Star with four very expensive years left on his contract.
• While other teams with picks to trade have been mentioned as interested — Utah and Brooklyn get named — they reportedly are not making all those picks available. Those potential offers are reportedly closer to what the Heat have on the table, those other teams don’t see Lillard making them instant contenders or being on their timeline. Additionally, they don’t want to pay him $216 million over the next four years (Lillard will make $63.4 million at age 36 at the end of this contract).
• While there has been speculation about the Celtics jumping in the mix (which would mean ownership signing off on a MASSIVE tax bill) or a three-way trade with Philadelphia and James Harden, it has been just that — speculation. There is no fire, only smoke right now.
• Miami can wait this out, making the bet Portland doesn’t want to bring Lillard to training camp as they try to turn the page and focus on rebuilding around No. 3 pick Scoot Henderson. The idea is that Portland will have to come around to some form of the Miami offer, it’s the only real thing on the market.
• Portland could bring Lillard to training camp feeling he does not have the personality of a James Harden or Jimmy Butler to be disruptive until he is traded. However, bringing Lillard back, even under the best of circumstances, would be a media circus and a distraction.
This likely doesn’t get resolved until August or, more likely, September. Right now nothing is pressuring the sides to change positions or get a deal done, and in the NBA trades rarely happen without pressure.