Miami Heat Tops Odds for Damian Lillard Trade Possibility
In the past week, NBA star guard Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. Currently, the Miami Heat have the highest odds to land Lillard at -275, with the Boston Celtics hot on their heels at +650.
Although Lillard specifically wanted the Heat, he doesn't have a no-trade clause, so it's not a guarantee. The Trail Blazers have already rejected a trade offer from the Heat, indicating that their general manager Joe Cronin isn't rushing to trade Lillard.
The speedy trade between the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns for Bradley Beal might differ from the Lillard trade, which could take much longer.
The Heat, who lost the 2023 NBA Finals to the Denver Nuggets, needed an extra scorer and playmaker to keep up with the high-energy Nuggets. A partnership of Lillard, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo in Miami could skyrocket them into the East Conference title contenders. Currently, the Heat are listed as +900 odds to win the 2023-24 NBA championship.
DraftKings offers a proposition bet on where Lillard will play for the first game of the season.
Miami Heat -275
Numerous media personalities believe the Heat will obtain Lillard, just awaiting confirmation from the Trail Blazers. Both sides are working on the finer details of a potential trade.
The Trail Blazers are hunting for a deal comparable to the one the Utah Jazz made when they sent Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for four first-rounders and several players. Cronin also mentioned the Kevin Durant trade to the Phoenix Suns as his goal for a Lillard deal. The Suns acquired four first-rounders and three potential starters for Durant.
To attract the Trail Blazers, the Heat possess two admired prospects: power forward Nikola Jovic and small forward Jaime Jaquez. Jovic, who barely played in his rookie season, was chosen 27th overall by the Heat in the 2022 NBA Draft.
The Heat initially proposed Tyler Herro, but Cronin has no interest in Herro. While the Heat prepare their next offer, they explore the possibility of the San Antonio Spurs to aid the transaction. The Spurs are interested in Herro and could trade him directly, or become a third party in the Lillard trade.
Portland Trail Blazers +550
There's a likely possibility that the 2023-24 NBA regular season begins without a Lillard trade.
While both sides want a trade before the end of preseason, there's no strict deadline. Cronin is in no hurry to finalize this first major deal under him in Portland, so recruitment between the Heat and Trail Blazers might drag on into the season's beginning.
The Trail Blazers provide intriguing value at +550 odds as the team where Lillard starts the season.
Pay close attention to the bet's wording. It's not where Lillard ends up in an exchange, but where he plays at the outset of the season.
Boston Celtics +650
Celtics general manager Brad Stevens has been active this off-season. He traded Marcus Smart and added Kristaps "Unicorn" Porzingis in a three-team trade. He also arranged a sign-and-trade for Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks.
Boston reporters are convinced that Stevens has been stockpiling draft picks to compete for Lillard. Jayson Tatum has also encouraged bringing Lillard to Boston, but Dame is uninterested in wrapping up his career in Boston.
"I don't see any other trade except the Miami trade," claimed Bill Simmons recently in his podcast. "Unless it's the Celtics."
If the Celtics pursue Lillard, their only option would be to part ways with Jaylen Brown. Brown has been awaiting a supermax contract extension. Conceivably, a third club that covets Brown, like the Atlanta Hawks or Houston Rockets, could facilitate a Lillard swap if the Heat's negotiations falter.
The Celtics stand at +650 odds in the proposition bet to conclude a Lillard trade.
Brooklyn Nets +1200
The Nets amassed a large number of draft picks after trading Durant to the Suns and Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks at the 2023 trade deadline. Brooklyn is still debating a course of action for the Ben Simmons conundrum, who scored career lows across the board in just 42 games last season.
In the past week, NBA star guard Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. The three teams with the highest odds to land Lillard are currently the Miami Heat (-275) and Boston Celtics (+650), with the Portland Trail Blazers offering a +550 bet.
Speculating Lillard's preference, it seems he wants to be a part of the Miami Heat. However, without a no-trade clause, it's not a sure thing.
The Trail Blazers recently rejected a trade proposal by the Heat, raising questions about Cronin's intentions with Lillard. He is not in a rush to trade the star guard.
The Miami Heat lost to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals and are looking for an additional scorer and playmaker to challenge teams like the Nuggets. A potential "Big 3" involving Lillard, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo could catapult the Heat into serious Eastern Conference title contenders. Currently, they have the fifth-highest odds of +900 on DraftKings' NBA futures board.
The Miami Heat have sent the Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers first offers. However, the Trail Blazers haven't been keen on the proposals. In order to sweeten the pot, the Miami Heat could potentially involve a third team, such as the San Antonio Spurs, who are interested in Tyler Herro, a player whom the Heat drafted last year.
With Miami's determination to acquire Lillard, the odds for the Portland Trail Blazers to trade to the Heat remain low, around +550. The Miami Heat continue to be the favorites.
The Celtics recently made a series of trades adding Kristaps Porzingis and a sign-and-trade for Grant Williams, but they haven't given up on landing Lillard. However, it would come at a price, as the Celtics may have to part ways with Jaylen Brown. Considering the possibility of Jaylen Brown being traded, the Boston Celtics have +650 odds on DraftKings' proposition bet.
Lillard being traded to the Brooklyn Nets is less likely, giving them +1200 odds. The Nets possess an abundance of draft picks after trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the previous trade deadline. Despite also having a Ben Simmons problem, Lillard hasn't expressed an interest in playing for the Nets. Considering this, a trade with the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat seems more likely than a Brooklyn trade.
Lillard doesn't wish to play for the Nets, thus a straight-up exchange appears impracticable. People can forget about their desired trade that involves sending Simmons and draft picks for Lillard.
The Nets are hesitant to aid the Heat in acquiring Lillard. However, the Nets may ultimately decide that joining them in a three-team deal would be the simplest and fastest way to part ways with Simmons.
The widespread Lillard trade rumor in Brooklyn - enticing Williamsburg hipsters and Coney Island basketball fans - suggests the Nets could receive Herro and a second-round pick from the Heat if they send Simmons and a first-rounder to the Trail Blazers. The Heat would send point guard Kyle Lowry, Jovic, and two first-round picks to Portland, and the Trail Blazers would send Lillard and center Jusuf Nurkic to Miami.
New York Knicks +6000
Lillard expressed that Madison Square Garden is his favorite arena in the NBA, so every basketball aficionado in New York is paying close attention to this news. A large group of devoted Knicks fans is keeping their fingers crossed that President Leon Rose can make this happen. If Rose can successfully conduct a Lillard trade to the Knicks, it will be the biggest feat in New York since the notorious Lufthansa heist in 1978.
The Knicks have slim chances at a +6000 probability of acquiring Lillard in a trade. But the Knicks are copiously stocked with draft capital and young players like Immanuel Quickley, Deuce McBride, and RJ Barrett. They can satisfy the Trail Blazers' sizable request of four first-round picks and two high-quality players.
The Knicks are also touted in trade rumors involving James Harden and Joel Embiid from the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Source: www.casino.org
