NBA Trade Rumors: Blazers ask Heat to make ‘best offer’ for Dame Lillard

NBA Trade Rumors: The Portland Trail Blazers want the Miami Heat to make their best offer for Damian Lillard, which they haven’t done.

The Damian Lillard saga continues. And this week, we’ve gotten a little more clarification on what may be happening behind the scenes.

The week started off with the report that the Miami Heat has made the Portland Trail Blazers an offer (which probably resembles something close to Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and two future first-round picks) and aren’t willing to negotiate against themselves. Now it’s being reported, this time by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, that the Blazers want the Heat to give them their “best offer” in order to get Portland to the negotiating table.

It was also echoed that the Heat and Blazers haven’t really sat down to do much negotiating and the teams are really feeling this entire process out. There has been no traction on a deal and there’s no guarantee one can get done without both teams coming to the table – unless a serious third suitor finally comes to the table with Portland.

What does this all mean for the Heat and Blazers?

If I had to guess what’s happened between the Heat and Blazers, based on everything that has been reported recently, here is my assumption:

• The Heat have made an offer and aren’t willing to bid against themselves.
• The Blazers think the Heat’s offer is a joke and don’t believe Miami is being serious/fair in discussions.
• The Blazers don’t think it’s worth sitting down with the Heat if they aren’t going to take this process “seriously.”
• The Heat, for now, is fine on waiting for the Blazers out until they’re ready to sit down to negotiate.
• The Blazers are waiting for the Heat to get serious and are playing the waiting game.
• Eventually, either the Heat or Blazers is going to give in.

Right now, both teams have the luxury of time. However, eventually, for both teams, that’s something that’s going to go away. Even though they may be “willing” to enter training camp with Lillard on the roster, that’s far from an ideal scenario.

Miami may not feel pressured to make a more significant offer now, but that likely has to change as training camp nears.

In the end, both teams know this is something that has to get done. Maybe both front offices take their vacations and come back in August to hammer things out. The last thing either of these franchises wants to do is enter the regular season with this situation hanging over their heads.

You’d have to imagine that something will eventually get done between the Heat and Blazers regarding Dame. It’s just a matter of when.