It is no secret that superstar Damian Lillard wants to go to the Miami Heat as of right now. However, the hold-up is that the Portland Trail Blazers have a lot of good guard players on the roster, and thus likely do not want to take on Tyler Herro, who would be the centerpiece of any deal.
Recently, Shams Charania revealed that the Lillard deal to the Miami Heat could end up being a multi-team deal, even potentially including four teams. Here is our construction of a potential offer: this deal would notably send Tyler Herro to the New York Knicks, and then move RJ Barret to the Portland Trail Blazers as the centerpiece of the trade package.
Miami Heat Receive: Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: RJ Barrett, Caleb Martin, Nikola Jovic, 2028 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2030 First-Round Pick (MIA)
New York Knicks Receive: Tyler Herro
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Duncan Robinson, 2029 Second-Round Pick (MIA), 2030 Second-Round Pick (MIA)
This four-team trade could definitely have benefits for all teams involved. Without further ado, let’s get into why this trade could end up being good from all perspectives.
The Miami Heat Finally Land Damian Lillard
Obviously, this deal would send Damian Lillard to the Miami Heat, which would be the Miami Heat’s ultimate goal. The team is notably willing to give up anyone but Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo for the superstar, and this deal would allow them to do just that.
Damian Lillard would help the Miami Heat have another consistent scorer on offense. Though the Heat made the NBA Finals this year based on their defense and tenacity, the team had many stretches where their offense simply wasn’t up to par. That was part of the reason the Boston Celtics managed to even the series at 3-3 before ultimately losing to the Heat in Game 7. In the playoffs, consistent bucket-getters are an important factor when it comes to success at the highest level.
A factor that helps the Miami Heat is definitely that Damian Lillard has named them as the only team that he wants to go to. That should allow them to get him at a reasonable price, without overpaying for his services.
During the 2022-23 regular season, Lillard averaged 32.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 7.3 APG for the Portland Trail Blazers. It is only a matter of time before he joins the Miami Heat, and perhaps this is the trade that will move him there.
The New York Knicks Get A Solid Shooting Guard To Pair With Jalen Brunson
The New York Knicks could be enticed to give up RJ Barrett for Tyler Herro, who has shown that he can be a key contributor on an NBA Finals team. He would form a dynamic backcourt with Jalen Brunson, and his shot creation could be useful as the No. 3 option behind Brunson and Julius Randle.
RJ Barrett and Tyler Herro are players that are similar in ability, but the key here is that Tyler Herro has shown that he is a player that can thrive with other stars and play off the ball effectively. Barrett meanwhile, needs the ball in his hands to make an impact on the game. Herro clearly has the better-fitting s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁set for a No. 3 option.
During the regular season, Tyler Herro averaged 20.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 4.2 APG while shooting 37.8% from 3PT range. Though many have soured on him, he has shown that he can be a quality starter in the league, and he could definitely be fantastic on the New York Knicks.
The Portland Trail Blazers Get A Solid Package
The Portland Trail Blazers have a good young core brewing, especially after they drafted Scoot Henderson with the No. 3 overall pick. Adding this trade package could help them advance their rebuild.
RJ Barrett is obviously the main draw of this trade package. This season, Barrett averaged 19.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 2.8 APG for the New York Knicks. He would likely be able to play the SF position for the Portland Trail Blazers, starting next to Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. He profiles as a good two-way player, and if he develops his rebounding and 3PT shooting, Barrett could have a huge impact for years to come for the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Portland Trail Blazers would also be getting prospect Nikola Jovic, who could become the center of the future for the team. The other assets here include Khem Birch’s expiring contract that will help the Trail Blazers save some money, and Caleb Martin, who is a solid 3 and D role player that was stellar in the Eastern Conference Finals for the Celtics. On top of the player part of this deal, the Trail Blazers would also get two first-round picks from the Miami Heat. Overall, this is a solid package that helps the Trail Blazers both in the now and in the future.
The San Antonio Spurs Take On Duncan Robinson’s Contract For Draft Compensation
This part of the deal is straightforward. The San Antonio Spurs are looped into this four-team deal because the Miami Heat need to find a team that is willing to take on one of their big-money contracts. The San Antonio Spurs are a natural fit, as they still have a decent amount of cap space.
The San Antonio Spurs would receive Duncan Robinson as well as two second-round picks from the Miami Heat. Though many people would consider Duncan Robinson overpaid, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he is a bad player. In the playoffs, Robinson averaged 9.0 PPG while shooting 44.2% from 3PT range on 4.9 attempts a game. He could be a solid floor spacer for Victor Wembanyama, and if he does well, the San Antonio Spurs could end up flipping him in the future for further assets.
Overall for the San Antonio Spurs, this is a value play. Getting a solid 3PT shooter and some picks is a benefit to a rebuilding team. The amount of draft compensation in the final deal might be higher overall, but it is easy to see the Spurs potentially taking on Duncan Robinson for picks.
This Deal Could Convince The Portland Trail Blazers To Part Ways With Damian Lillard
The Portland Trail Blazers clearly want the best possible package for their franchise player, and they won’t part with him easily. However, this package could clearly sway them to move Damian Lillard.
RJ Barrett could be a solid piece for the Portland Trail Blazers and would be a part of their future next to their core. The picks included in this deal are valuable as well, as they will be conveyed at a time when the Miami Heat aren’t contending.
Of course, the Portland Trail Blazers might just elect to drag on the Damian Lillard saga to try and get a better return ahead of the 2024 trade deadline. However, this package would allow them to send their franchise legend to the destination of his choice, while also getting some quality pieces. We’ll see what they decide to do in the future.
