MIAMI — As Portland tries to create a trade market for Damian Lillard that extends beyond the Heat, the agent for Lillard has advised other teams not to pursue a trade for the seven-time All Star guard because he wants to play only for Miami.
Those teams have been warned that they will be getting an unhappy player if they acquire Lillard.
“I do what I should for my client. Some teams I did call. Other teams have called me,” Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, told the Miami Herald on Thursday in his first public comments since his client asked for a trade. “It’s a respectful relationship with most teams. Truthfully, he wants to play in Miami. Period.”
Lillard hopes that message will discourage other teams from offering appealing trade assets to Portland.
Later in the day, Goodwin told ESPN’s Marc Spears that he had a “good discussion” with Portland general manager Joe Cronin on Thursday. Spears reported that Goodwin “is hopeful over the next couple days” that the Heat and Blazers “will get in a room” at the Las Vegas Summer League and “hopefully hash something out.”
ESPN reported that even though Portland does not want Tyler Herro as the centerpiece of a trade, multiple teams are willing to relinquish a “good” first-round pick, potentially more, to take Herro’s contract and help facilitate a three-team trade to land Lillard in Miami.
Blazers general manager Joe Cronin plans to speak with other general managers during summer league in Las Vegas in the coming days.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported “there could be a point where Portland looks around and says Miami is the best offer we have.” The precise Heat offer is unclear beyond Herro, two first-round picks and another player, believed to be Duncan Robinson.
Lillard, 33, is due $216 million through the final four seasons of his contract.
It took seven months for Anthony Davis to be traded from the Pelicans to the Lakers after his initial request, and it took Kevin Durant 7 1/2 months to be dealt from the Nets to the Suns after his initial request.
One single-team trade request that took less time to come to fruition: Paul George’s confidential request for Oklahoma City to deal him to the Clippers — to team with Kawhi Leonard — was completed in less than a week.
Unlike the Durant situation with the Nets, the Blazers reportedly won’t try to talk Lillard out of asking for a trade. And if the situation is unresolved in late September, the notion of Lillard reporting to training camp with the Blazers “wouldn’t be pleasant for anyone,” Wojnarowski said.
Deals announced
The Heat formalized deals with Oklahoma City involving Victor Oladipo and Cleveland involving Max Strus.
The Heat gave the Thunder second-round picks in 2029 and 2030 in exchange for absorbing Oladipo’s $9.5 million salary next season. Miami gets a $9.5 million trade exception. He’s expected to miss much of next season while recovering from a knee injury sustained in a Heat playoff game.
Also, the Heat acquired a 2026 second-round pick and a $7.3 million trade exception from Cleveland as part of a three-team deal that landed Strus with the Cavaliers (on a four-year, $63 million contract) and Cedi Osman and Lance Stephens with San Antonio.
With those deals announced, the salaries of Oladipo and Strus cannot be used to facilitate a Lillard trade. And the trade exceptions generated by the Oladipo and Strus deals cannot be combined by the Heat. Miami can acquire two players earning $9.5 million and $7.3 million into those trade exceptions, but that would significantly increase the Heat’s tax bill.
Also, the Heat formally announced that they have re-signed Kevin Love. He will earn $3.7 million next season (the most that Miami could pay him), with a $4 million player option for 2024-25.
Cain impresses
Forward Jamal Cain, who missed the Heat’s summer league opener with a sprained ankle, looked spry in Wednesday’s loss to the Kings, closing with 17 points and six rebounds and shooting 7 for 10 from the field.
“I really want to hone in on the defensive end,” Cain said. “So I want to guard the best players. I want to use my quickness and athleticism to try to be a disruptor. And I want to work on my body and get stronger. I want to be more confident with my shot, too.”
The 6-7 Cain made his only 3-pointer on Wednesday; he shot 35% (7 for 20) on 3s with the Heat last season.
“A lot of positives there,” Heat summer league coach Caron Butler said of Cain. “I probably should have started him.”
— Nikola Jovic has been the Heat’s best player through two games of summer league. He scored 22 on Wednesday after a 21-point opener and is consistently getting to the basket.
“He’s done a hell of a job in putting the sweat equity into all of this through the course of the season,” Butler said.
Cain said of Jovic: “The way he’s able to bump defenders and finish strong, with his strength and athleticism, it’s going to be a scary thing.”
— Former Marist 6-11 center Patrick Gardner hit a 3-pointer to highlight a four-point, four-rebound 16-minute debut on Wednesday. Gardner hit 38.3% of his 3s (57 of 149) in his one year at Marist.
“Watching more film, the more and more intrigued I am, especially in zone offense,” Butler said of Gardner. “He’s a big body, left-handed, unorthodox, can throw people off in that way. Great touch. Pick-and-pop guy. [With him], we use the same sets we run with Kevin Love. He’s been great.”
The Heat open play in the Las Vegas summer league with a game against Boston on Saturday (3 p.m., NBA TV).
