Damian Lillard still has not been traded but there is a blockbuster four-team trade that sends him to the Miami Heat.
Damian Lillard is the hottest commodity in the NBA right now because every team wants him after his trade request. The Portland Trail Blazers have tried to get him to stay but it’s time for both parties to move on. After all, there hasn’t been much improvement since the team made the Western Conference Finals in 2019.
Similarly, there are teams out there holding onto assets they might not want anymore. One of them is the Phoenix Suns who took Deandre Ayton No. 1 overall in 2018 and played a significant role in the team’s Finals run in 2021 as the starting center. However, things have changed because the Suns want to win immediately and need the right pieces to get there.
As a result, it is only natural for both teams to be involved in trade talks. However, to get both Lillard and Ayton moved, it needs to come down to a blockbuster four-team trade that also involves the rebuilding Indiana Pacers and the title-contending Miami Heat. There is a way for each player to go to his preferred destination and it comes in a groundbreaking trade.
A blockbuster deal this large hardly occurs, but it is immediately available and involves four teams with different long-term goals. Here is what the trade details entail.
Trade Details
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Deandre Ayton, Kyle Lowry, Nikola Jovic, 2024 First-Round Pick Pacers (Thunder, Clippers, Rockets or Jazz), 2027 Heat First-Round Pick, 2028 Heat First-Round Pick
Indiana Pacers Receive: Tyler Herro, Ish Wainright
Phoenix Suns Receive: Jusuf Nurkic, Caleb Martin, T.J. McConnell
Miami Heat Receive: Damian Lillard, Buddy Hield
With this deal adding multiple players to each of the four teams involved, let’s look at how every side benefits from the blockbuster trade headlined by Damian Lillard.
Portland Trail Blazers Rebuild With Two Young Big Men And First-Round Picks
With this deal, the Portland Trail Blazers are parting ways with their franchise player, Damian Lillard, which is a tough decision. However, this trade brings in a mix of experienced talent and promising young players that could position the Blazers for success in the coming years. It also adds valuable draft assets to help with roster development and flexibility.
Deandre Ayton is a young and promising center at 25 years old with the potential to be a dominant force in the paint. He brings youth and athleticism to the Blazers’ frontcourt, which could complement their backcourt effectively.
The former No. 1 overall pick has posted a career 16.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game which are great numbers, and a new destination could do him good as he looks for his first All-Star Team selection.
Kyle Lowry is 37 years old and in his final years in the NBA, but he is a seasoned veteran point guard with championship experience. He adds leadership, playmaking, and perimeter defense to the Blazers.
Lowry’s presence can help ease the playmaking burden on their guards and also train Scoot Henderson the ropes of being a floor general. Nikola Jovic is also 20 years old and we have yet to see him given the opportunity to become a starting center.
These future first-round picks offer long-term options for the Blazers to continue building for the future. Additional draft assets provide the Blazers with future flexibility to make further improvements or rebuild if necessary. It is certainly time for Portland to rebuild around Ayton, Henderson, and Anfernee Simons.
Indiana Pacers Create An All-Star-Worthy Backcourt
From the Indiana Pacers’ point of view, this trade seems to offer some benefits while addressing specific needs. The Pacers are gaining an extremely valuable player in Tyler Herro who is 23 years old and averaged at least 20 points per game the previous two seasons.
Even as we enter the 2024 season, Herro is a young and talented shooting guard known for his scoring ability and three-point shooting. Acquiring him gives the Pacers a promising young player who can contribute both offensively and as a perimeter threat.
He can potentially become a cornerstone of the team’s future alongside All-Star Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton averaged 20.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game on 49.0% from the field, 40.0% from three, and 87.1% from the free-throw line.
A duo of Haliburton and Herro will be an All-Star duo for the foreseeable future as they bring scoring, playmaking, shooting, and clutch ability. They will also get even better with time, especially under head coach Rick Carlisle who is a coach renowned for getting the best out of his players. The Pacers are shopping Buddy Hield, and if they can get Tyler Herro in return, this is a major win for them.
Phoenix Suns Add Much-Needed Depth In Place Of Deandre Ayton
This trade does not involve any major stars leaving the Suns, which suggests that the team is looking to bolster its depth and defensive capabilities without making significant changes to its core roster. It may signal the Suns’ intention to focus on strengthening their rotation and role players to make a deeper playoff run without sacrificing their key assets.
Deandre Ayton has been shopped for years, and finally, they can move him while bringing in three talented players who will add to their depth. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal can do all the scoring alone and not need much help in that regard. However, the trio needs defense, size, toughness, and versatility on the wings.
Jusuf Nurkic is a s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed center who can contribute both offensively and defensively. He provides an upgrade in the frontcourt, adding depth and versatility to the Suns’ rotation as a pick-n-roll partner who is a tougher player on a physical level than Ayton at 6’11” and 290 lbs.
Secondly, an exceptional asset, Caleb Martin is a versatile wing player with potential. While he may not be a star player, he offers athleticism and defensive capabilities. His presence on the roster adds depth to the wing positions and provides another option for the Suns to develop in the starting lineup with competition from Josh Okogie.
Meanwhile, T.J. McConnell is a gritty and hardworking point guard known for his playmaking and defensive abilities. His addition to the Suns’ roster adds depth to their backcourt and provides a steady hand to run the second unit since Cam Payne is no longer a part of the team.
Miami Heat Capture The NBA Championship In 2024
For the Miami Heat, this trade is about solidifying their status as a championship contender. The Heat maintains a strong core with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo while adding an All-Star-level talent in Lillard and a valuable shooter in Hield. This dynamic group of players creates a formidable lineup that will be challenging for opposing teams to defend.
The trade addresses the Heat’s need for a reliable primary scorer, something they have been searching for since the departure of LeBron James. Lillard’s scoring ability will take a significant load off Butler and provide a more balanced offensive attack.
The addition of Lillard and Hield also elevates the Heat’s three-point shooting, making them more dangerous in an era where perimeter shooting is crucial. Luckily, Miami retains its defensive identity with Butler and Adebayo while adding Lillard’s scoring prowess.
This balance between offense and defense makes them a well-rounded team. Lillard is a little over 33 years old and while he is in the latter stages of his prime, he is coming off a season posting 32.2 points and 7.3 assists per game on 37.1% from three.
With Lillard, the Heat will push to the NBA Finals again. The duo of Butler and Adebayo has been enough to make two Finals appearances, so the addition of Lillard will make a superteam without a doubt. A starting lineup of Damian Lillard, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love, and Bam Adebayo will certainly be the major factor in the Eastern Conference over the next three years at least.
A Blockbuster Trade Where Every Team Wins, Especially The Miami Heat
In the end, this blockbuster trade creates a win-win situation for every team involved. The Indiana Pacers end up with a terrific long-term duo with Tyrese Haliburton and Tyler Herro, as both players are All-Star quality and not even in their primes yet. The Pacers have not had a quality duo since Paul George and Danny Granger but now they do.
The Portland Trail Blazers also continue their exciting rebuilding plans around Scoot Henderson and the arriving Deandre Ayton and Nikola Jovic. The three first-round picks also signal a massive shift in what they are trying to do, and their core including Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe becomes very promising over the next few seasons.
The Phoenix Suns are going all-in over the next few seasons with their dominant Big Three but they can take another massive step up in their contention by swapping their starting center for three important pieces. Nurkic is stronger and more physical than Ayton, McConnell is a capable point guard whether he starts or not, and Caleb Martin would likely start at power forward.
No doubt, even if Phoenix gets back three players, the Miami Heat are the absolute winners. Damian Lillard puts them over the top in the Eastern Conference because Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo have been good enough to make the Finals.
The addition of Dame makes them the favorite to finally win it all. Time will tell if this deal can be done in time, but if it does, expect a changed NBA landscape where the Suns improve, but the Heat likely win it all.
