NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Bold, creative deals to help Heat land Damian Lillard

A three-team trade including Miami, Brooklyn, and Portland

(*In this deal, the Heat would negotiate to unlock the team’s 2024 first-round pick with the OKC Thunder (who own the rights to the Heat’s 2025 or 2026 first-round pick).

Assuming that the Miami Heat would be able to trade three first-round picks and theoretically three pick swaps to the Portland Trail Blazers, the foundation for this deal would be set. The Heat and Blazers would just have to figure out other logistics that would make this deal complete. And that would likely start with Miami sending their two prime young assets, Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr. to Portland. The Blazers would also receive Duncan Robinson (for salary purposes) and Royce O’Neale (from the Nets).

Why would the Blazers be open to taking on both O’Neale and Robinson, apart from salary reasons? There’s a chance that both of those players could probably net an additional first-round pick or two second-round picks in deals leading up to the season or even at the NBA Trade Deadline.

For helping the Heat and Blazers come to a resolution, the Nets would be compensated with Tyler Herro, who is better than he gets credit for at just 23 years old, and two second-round picks from the Heat.