Sports
NBA Rumors: Damian Lillard Trade Value a 'Fundamental Disagreement' for Heat, Blazers – Bleacher Report
Amid buzz that the Toronto Raptors are a serious threat to acquire Damian Lillard, the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers remain locked in a stalemate over the trade value for the seven-time All-Star.
Per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, the Heat and Blazers have a “fundamental disagreement” about what “constitutes sufficient trade compensation” for Lillard.
“One league source who spoke to Portland’s front office last week was told by the Trail Blazers that a trade that sends Lillard to the Heat is ‘unlikely,'” Chiang wrote.
Marc J. Spears of Andscape reported Monday that Toronto is currently viewed as the favorite to acquire Lillard, though an agreement is not believed to be close at this point.
Details of the Raptors’ potential offer aren’t known, but Spears noted it could include Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes, O.G. Anunoby and/or Gradey Dick.
Spears added two NBA executives expect a Lillard trade will happen before Oct. 2, when most teams have media day.
The Heat have long been considered the front-runner for Lillard since he formally requested a trade on July 1. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the 33-year-old specifically wanted to be dealt to Miami.
There was so much smoke hovering about Lillard only wanting to play for the Heat that the NBA had to issue a formal warning to all 30 teams about players under contract making team-specific trade requests.
NBA sent a memo Friday to all 30 teams about Damian Lillard's trade request and the stance that he only wants to play in Miami. Reporting details on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRally?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheRally</a>: <a href="https://t.co/xkgMfcTeqI">pic.twitter.com/xkgMfcTeqI</a>
The Blazers have been steadfast in their desire to get what they believe to be fair value for Lillard. Miami’s initial offer, according to Spears, was a package that included Tyler Herro and two future first-round draft picks.
Herro would arguably be redundant on a Blazers team that already has Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson. He would give them a terrific outside shooter, but they also may not view him very highly as a potential building block for their future.
Regardless of where Lillard ends up, it seems like the situation might be on the verge of being resolved. Training camps open on Oct. 3, and the regular season begins on Oct. 24.