Insider Highlights New Potential Fit Alongside Heat for Damian Lillard Trade
The Heat have been so frequently connected to Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard in trade talks this offseason you could be forgiven for forgetting there are 28 other teams in the NBA.
Indeed, ever since news of Lillard’s trade request became public on July 1, the future Hall of Famer has seemingly had his sights exclusively set on Miami. Even before asking for a trade, Lillard had to swat away speculation after jamming out to Will Smith’s “Miami” on Instagram Live in June.
Few have suggested potential non-Heat destinations for Lillard, but Sam Vecenie of The Athletic joined that list Sunday evening.
“I think Milwaukee might be the team that makes the most sense other than Miami maybe [to trade for Lillard], if they were willing to move Jrue [Holiday],” Vecenie said. “I don’t know if I would move Jrue. Honestly I probably would for Dame, but Jrue is such an intrinsic part of their culture.”
The Bucks' offseason has been dominated by an Aug. 24 profile of forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in The New York Times, in which the two-time MVP strongly implied he eventually wants to leave Milwaukee.
Despite a 58–24 record in the regular season in 2023, the Bucks were dismissed in five games by the Heat in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
