The Miami Heat are looking for a way to land Damien Lillard but would need a third team to get involved to give the Portland Trailblazers what they believe is a fair return. After losing Gabe Vincent and Max Strus in free agency, the Heat's tradable young core comes down to Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, and Duncan Robinson. Those names don't scream a fair return for a generational talent like Lillard, so Chicago can step in and sweeten the pot.
Three Team Trade Ideas Between The Bulls, Heat, and Blazers
The Bulls Receive Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Nikola Jovic, 2027 Miami 1st-Round Pick.
The Heat Receive Damien Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic
The Blazers Receive Zach LaVine, Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, 2029 Heat 1st-round pick.
This would be the most significant return possible for the Bulls in any Zach LaVine trade scenario. For helping the Heat and Blazers complete this deal, they're compensated a little extra by acquiring players who can keep the Bulls exactly where they are today, except they would get younger along with a draft pick. Tyler Herro could be at the caliber of Zach LaVine one day but at a far less cost.
The Heat would have to eat Jusuf Nurkic's contract, but that's the price they pay for acquiring a talent like Damien Lillard. The Heat would keep their core of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and now Damien Lillard.
The Blazers realize nobody is bending backward for Lillard's ridiculous contract in the new CBA. It hurts more than it helps unless you're a championship-contending team like the Heat. They can swap Lillard out for a 28-year-old Zach LaVine in the prime of his career to play next to Anfernee Simons, Scoot Henderson, and Jerami Grant. They also eat Lowry's expiring contract, which helps their cap situation next summer. Caleb Martin and an unprotected 2029 Heat pick are the sweeteners of the deal.
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