3 ways the Miami Heat can add another star this offseason

No. 1 star trade for the Miami Heat: Damian Lillard

The Heat let Bradley Beal slip away to the Phoenix Suns because their sights are set on bigger fish, according to TNT’s Chris B. Haynes. That “bigger fish” is, to nobody’s surprise, Damian Lillard. And the buzz around Lillard’s future is louder than ever.

Lillard and the Blazers have both broadcast a desire to keep the partnership going. The Blazers are expected to field trade calls centered on the No. 3 pick in next week’s NBA Draft. That’s the behavior of a team that’s trying to win, not rebuild.

That said, it’s fair to question the viability of Portland’s current roster as the foundation for a contender. What can the Blazers realistically get with the No. 3 pick, and does the return value ultimately outstrip the value of a prospect like Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller? Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe, Portland’s other core pieces, are 23 and 20 years old, respectively.

The Blazers are a young team holding on to an aging Lillard for dear life. At some point their grip just has to loosen. That’s the way of life in today’s NBA, and frankly, it’s good team-building practice to start prepping for the future.

If Lillard does ultimately demand out, he is expected to have a say in where he goes based on years of faithful service to the Portland franchise. The Blazers won’t accept lowball offers for a borderline top-10 player, but if Lillard says he wants to go to Miami — and that feels extremely likely in the event of a trade request — he will probably go to Miami.

The Heat can offer three first-round picks and a future pick swap, plus Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry’s massive expiring contract. Herro is an intriguing offensive partner for Simons in the backcourt. Lowry is either a year’s worth of veteran leadership or a juicy trade chip given the increased demand for expiring contracts in advance of the new CBA.

Lillard’s deadly shooting and consistent rim pressure would dramatically improve the Heat’s notoriously stagnant offense. Miami was a terrible shooting team for most of last season and their red-hot playoff shooting was probably a flash in the pan more than anything sustainable long-term. Lillard fixes critical issues and gives them another clutch-time maestro to share the court with Butler. This would really cement Miami as a tier-one threat in the East.