When he made his trade request to the Portland Trail Blazers in July, superstar guard Damian Lillard made it clear that he wanted to go to the Miami Heat. However, a move to Florida doesn’t seem to be on the cards for a seven-time All-Star.
According to ESPN’s Marc J. Spears, the Toronto Raptors and not the Heat are currently the favorites to land Lillard. The talks between the Raptors and Portland have intensified in recent days, and the two sides are getting closer to an agreement.
The Heat tried to make a deal with the Blazers, but their offer, which centered on shooting guard Tyler Herro and several first-round picks, has been deemed underwhelming by Portland’s front office. The Raptors’ offer, on the other hand, is regarded as much more attractive.
Toronto has several players that are interesting to the Blazers, including All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, former Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, and 2023’s steals leader O.G. Anunoby. It is believed that the Raptors can seal the deal if they offer two of the previously mentioned players alongside a couple of first-rounders.
There are several other suitors for Lillard who could make a late attempt, including the Milwaukee Bucks, the Boston Celtics, and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Blazers reportedly would like to have a deal in place by the end of the month, which would ensure a controversy-free training camp.
