Grade the Trade: Heat land Damian Lillard; Tyler Herro gets fresh start in wild pitch

Breaking down a proposed blockbuster offseason trade

If the Milwaukee Bucks enter the offseason with the intention of facilitating a Damian Lillard trade, they could look in the direction of the Miami Heat in hopes of getting something done. We know Lillard would want to play for the Heat and based on how they looked this season, Miami would probably also be open to such a move. In this proposed deal, the Bucks wouldn't get equal value to what they originally gave up for Lillard last summer, but they'd be able to retool the supporting cast around Giannis Antetokounmpo heading into next season.

Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier are two players that could pay dividends for the Bucks on the offensive end, which could be even more important for the team considering the uncertainty revolving around Khris Middleton's future with the team. Nikola Jovic could be an intriguing young big to replace Bobby Portis (who, for financial reasons, would have to be included in the deal) and the Bucks would also get the rights to whoever the Heat take in the 2024 NBA Draft and Miami's 2029 first-round draft pick, which could be valuable considering the Heat's current timeline.

Miami would receive Lillard and Portis and would still have Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson, and Jamie Jaquez Jr. as their supporting cast.