Damian Lillard Not Interested In 'Stacked' Rosters Making The Miami Heat A Perfect Destination

On Monday afternoon, Damian Lillard and his agent met with the Portland Trailblazers to discuss the team’s direction.

After the meeting, Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported Lillard is not interested in playing for a ‘stacked’ roster "He doesn’t want to be on a team where it’s just three All-Stars or three superstars," Haynes wrote.

The Miami Heat are rumored as Lillard’s preferred destination this offseason. The Heat’s roster fits Lillard’s ideals as a championship contender, led by superstar Jimmy Butler. Behind Butler, the roster is filled with depth, such as undrafted talent Max Strus and Gabe Vincent and youthful stars Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.

Chris Haynes says Damian Lillard doesn’t want to play for a ‘stacked’ team

“He doesn’t want to be on a team where it’s just 3 All-Stars or 3 superstars… He just wants a team that has a shot.”

(Via Bleacher Report) pic.twitter.com/Tmjl3dWLoD
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 26, 2023

Depth would be given up to acquire Lillard, but with the caliber of Miami’s roster and player development, keeping a strong core will be effortless. The Heat could offer a package of Herro, Kyle Lowry, Nikola Jovic, and three first-round picks in exchange for Lillard. This deal gives Portland draft capital and two young players, and Miami receives their second superstar.

According to Haynes, "He just wants a team that has a shot." The Heat have some of the highest championship aspirations in the league after reaching the Finals two times in the last four years. Losing to the Denver Nuggets in the Finals last season has the Heat fan base believes Lillard is the missing piece to winning a championship.

If Lillard decides he is unhappy with Portland and requests a trade, the Heat have both the assets to trade for him and the roster he is seeking.

Anthony Pasciolla is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He can be reached at anthonypasciolla36@gmail.com