The Damian Lillard trade has reached a point where it needs desperate help to get finalized. Dame requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers after realizing that their roster situation would not be able to help him win a title. He is entering a dangerous territory in terms of age. Older players generally experience a decrease in their ability to perform at a high level.
Damian Lillard last season:
32.2 PPG (!!)
7.3 APG
4.2 3PM
64.5 TS%The only player in NBA history to reach those numbers or better in a season at that efficiency. pic.twitter.com/iBM3I4h9Wm
— StatMuse (@statmuse) September 22, 2023
Right now, the 7x All-Star is 33 years old. In addition to this, Dame has been performing at his peak lately averaging 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game last season. It would be an utter waste if Lillard failed to utilize this time to win himself a title. Even though he made attempts to bring this to the Blazers‘ notice, the franchise chose to be a bit ignorant. And now, Dame gave them no option but to trade him.
The Miami Heat has been his favored destination since the start of this scenario. Damian Lillard knows that the Heat is his best bet at winning a title soon. Miami has shown great success over the last few years, especially after making two finals appearances three and a half years apart. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and the rest of the squad are highly skilled on defense. However, they require a lot of help offensively, which Lillard will be able to provide.
The Suns could be the final piece of the puzzle to help Damian Lillard get to the Heat
Several sources have reported that the Blazers and Heat have been trying to work things out. Miami has offered Portland several packages that haven’t quite caught their interest. And the scenario may have come to a dead end on Miami’s side. While they have created multiple packages, they’ve exhausted their assets. And Portland isn’t interested in what they have to offer. This might mean that the Heat will need a slight push from other teams.
The Suns have emerged as a “dark horse” to help facilitate a Damian Lillard trade, per @GeraldBourguet
“Philadelphia, Miami and Portland, as well as the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls — are heating up…and many of them view the Suns as a team that could push a potential… pic.twitter.com/E72a35RZpY
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 22, 2023
The latest rumor added to this scenario is that the Phoenix Suns have emerged as a team that could help facilitate this trade. A report recently stated that several teams are trying to entice the Suns to get involved in the Damian Lillard trade. Phoenix had an outstanding off-season as they hired 2020 NBA Championship-winning coach Frank Vogel. They also acquired Bradley Beal in exchange for Chris Paul.
The Suns also had a couple of other pieces such as Bol Bol, veteran Eric Gordon, and Yuta Watanabe. The Blazers and Heat along with the Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, and Philadelphia 76ers (who are trying to trade James Harden) are optimistic that the Suns can help maneuver a multi-team trade. And the star that’s most targeted is Deandre Ayton.