It’s official: Damian Lillard is going to be a Milwaukee Buck. After a summer where most reports led to a Dame-to-Miami outcome, Milwaukee swept in and broke the hearts of hopeful Heat fans. As Miami loses out on Lillard, the team is left having to pick up the pieces of an unsuccessful offseason.
Miami Loses Out on Lillard – What’s the Heat’s Next Move?
Earlier this summer, Miami lost Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, two key contributors to their 2023 playoff success. Vincent signed with the Lakers for three years, $33-million while Strus signed with Cleveland for four years, $63-million. Despite how crucial these two were for the Heat, the losses didn’t seem too devastating at the time. This was due to nearly every rumor surrounding Damian Lillard seeming to ultimately link him to Miami.
Lillard had initially requested a trade to the Heat following the end of last season. As the summer passed and other teams got involved, Miami still remained the favorite to land Lillard in most eyes. To Portland, however, a package centered around Tyler Herro and some picks wasn’t one they felt the need to quickly accept. And ultimately, the Blazers would decline that trade package altogether in favor of Milwaukee’s. Miami turned out to be the biggest losers in the Damian Lillard sweepstakes.
Making Up for Lost Time
After spending months in Lillard-purgatory, Miami now has little time to figure out their roster for the coming season. With Jimmy Butler aging, the window for this current Heat roster is quickly closing. Let’s take a look at some options that Miami could explore as the season approaches.
Filling the Gap
Jrue Holiday could be an interesting possible acquisition–a defending guard to run the point next to Butler and Bam Adebayo. Trading for Holiday would probably require Herro and another pick. There’s risk in this trade, considering Herro is on a long-term deal while Holiday just recently said he’d considering retiring once his current contract ends. As an aging PG, Holiday is still a dependable starter, but does he raise the ceiling of last year’s Heat team? He took a dip offensively last season and shot poorly from the three-point line. As good defensively as Holiday is, the Heat may want to look for someone who can take on a more offensive load in lieu of Vincent’s and Strus’s departures.
The Heat were also apparently interested in James Harden earlier this summer, but there haven’t been any recent reports on this. With Lillard no longer available, Harden could be a decent consolation prize for the Heat.
Tyler Herro: To Trade or Not to Trade
Shipping off Herro may seem like a good move if it means bringing in a Holiday or Harden-like package, but is it really? Last season, Herro averaged 20 points on 44% FG and 38% from deep. We’ve seen him have outstanding playoff performances. All of that for someone who isn’t even 24 yet. If Miami were to trade Herro, they’d be losing one of their best shooters and shot-creators. And on a team starring Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, shooters and shot-creators are what you need more of.
Let Heat Culture Do Its Thing
A more viable option for Miami may be to do what they do best: find cheap contract guys who can buy into Heat culture.
The Heat have excelled in maximizing non-star players in the context of Erik Spoelstra’s system. Gabe Vincent went undrafted, worked his way through small contracts, and ended up as the third-leading scorer on a Finals team. Max Strus went down a similar route: undrafted, two-way contracts, a G-league stint, then eventually a staple piece for Miami’s Finals run.
An available free agent that comes to mind is Austin Rivers, a veteran guard who most recently played in Minnesota. Rivers is the exact kind of player that thrives in Heat culture. Unselfish, willing to do the dirty work, team-first. Also available are PG Cameron Payne and SF Terrence Ross, both savvy veterans with reliable shooting splits.
Miami losing out on Lillard puts them in a place of tension as the season approaches. But despite the hole they find themselves in, there is still hope for the reigning Eastern Conference champs. Time and time again, Erik Spoelstra and his staff have proven able to make much out of little. Jimmy Butler is always ready for a fight and shown his greatness on the biggest stages. A few strategic acquisitions and the Heat may find themselves right back where they were last season. Don’t count Miami out just yet.
