Getty Image / Alika Jenner
The NBA Draft came and went and the Portland Trail Blazers ended up not making a big trade.
Even so, Scoot Henderson joining the roster gives Portland an influx of guards. So, it’s possible the front office makes a deal at some point this offseason.
With that said, Damian Lillard rumors are ramping up again, as the Miami Heat seemingly won’t back down on potentially acquiring the superstar point guard.
But it appears some new information could lead to a deal actually being made.
According to The Athletic, the Trail Blazers have plans to acquire some talent in free agency to entice Lillard to stay in Portland. However, if those acquisitions aren’t made, then the superstar point guard could demand a trade after all.
These reports claim that there Damian Lillard “has serious interest” in joining the Heat if the Trail Blazers fail to improve the roster. Here is the full statement on the current rumors.
“Lillard indeed has serious interest in joining the Heat, who would surely love to pair him with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. If it reaches this point — and there’s still an ‘if’ here considering all the times Lillard chose not to ask out before — Lillard’s wishes would matter a great deal because of the enormity of his contract.”
The Athletic also reports that Lillard currently holds the leverage in this situation, mainly due to the layout of his current contract.
“With four seasons and a combined $216 million left on his deal (including a player option worth $63 million in the 2026-27 season), the prospect of a team trading for Lillard against his wishes is hard to fathom. So while he doesn’t have the kind of no-trade clause that played such a pivotal part in the recent Bradley Beal trade from Washington to Phoenix, his leverage in the situation is similar.”
In short, the ball is in the Trail Blazers’ court. Free agency is going to be a pivotal moment for this franchise.
Considering the organization has a healthy amount of cap space, along with multiple trade-worthy guards, perhaps Portland can find a way to keep Lillard on the roster.
The question is, how can the Trail Blazers make Damian Lillard happy? Well, the Athletic reports a “dream scenario” for the superstar point guard.
“Here’s one solution that is known to be a dream scenario from Lillard’s vantage point: Re-sign forward Jerami Grant and add four-time All-Star/four-time champion Draymond Green in free agency.”
If the Trail Blazers can pull that off, then Lillard may stay in Portland after all. But the team’s track record in free agency doesn’t do the franchise any favors.
They’ve mightily struggled signing top talent in free agency and typically have to build through the draft or via trade.
This is certainly a scenario to keep an eye on. If the Trail Blazers fail in free agency, then perhaps Damian Lillard finds himself playing for the Heat after all.
Keep an eye out for more updates, as Friday, June 30 is going to be an important day for the Trail Blazers franchise.