Big risk No. 2: The Portland Trail Blazers are prepared to tank a season
One of the biggest reasons why the Miami Heat would be willing to continue to play the waiting game for Damian Lillard is based on the premise that the Portland Trail Blazers wouldn’t be prepared to tank the season with him on the roster. If Lillard is going to sit out until he’s traded, which he may or may not do, it would create a huge distraction for a young team that doesn’t need it. That, in a way, could add up to a somewhat lost (and drama-filled) season for the Blazers.
If Joe Cronin is willing to put his team through that with the hope of landing a better deal for Lillard during the season, that would create a bad situation for the Heat which could result in their own lost season. The last thing that Miami needs to do is essentially throw away a season of Bam Adebayo’s and Jimmy Butler’s prime.
If the Blazers are willing to tank a season in an attempt to win this game of chicken, the Heat may be in over their head in this game of chicken over Lillard. It’s something that could end up blowing up in their faces.