Are Miami Heat Fans Going To Be Patient Enough To Wait For A Damian Lillard Trade?

It may be a while for Damian Lillard to be traded to the Miami Heat.

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard’s request to join the Miami Heat may take even longer than originally anticipated.

That’s probably the last thing Heat fans wanted to hear, but it may be the reality they have to endure. In a Monday press conference, Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin recently said the ordeal could take “months” to resolve.

“What I've learned more than anything is patience is critical,” Cronin said. “Don't be reactive. Don't jump at things just to seemingly solve a problem. I think the teams that have ended up in the most positive situations post-trade have been the ones that have been really diligent in taking their time and not been impulsive, or the teams that really kept their urgency under control. So I think that's how my approach has been with this and will be with this. We're going to be patient, we're gonna do what's best for our team and see how this lands. If it takes months, it takes months.”

Here’s how Heat fans reacted to this:

man fuck this nigga right here

— 2KGOD290➐ (@2kren290) July 10, 2023

That’s crazy but Dame will be in Miami this month. Cronin can’t run from the inevitable pic.twitter.com/mWj7mw2JEb

— 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 (@WadexFlash) July 10, 2023

All my homies hate Joe Cronin https://t.co/3I9QgxfaNU

— 𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙉𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 (@HeatvsHaters) July 10, 2023

Lillard is clearly set on joining the Heat but unfortunately does not have a no-trade clause in his contract. This means the Trail Blazers are looking for the best deal, without Lillard being able to veto the decision. Thankfully, no one else around the league made an aggressive push to acquire the seven-time All-Star, so Miami is still the frontrunner for his new destination.

They don’t want to wait too long though. Another team could come in the mix, or stalled talks could erase the trade altogether.

Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.