Lillard remains adamant that he only wants to be traded to the Miami Heat. Meanwhile, Jovic and Jaquez Jr. have played well in the 2023 NBA Summer League, especially Jovic. This is a promising sign for the Heat, although the regular season is a completely different challenge than Summer League. Let’s dive deeper into these developments for the Miami Heat.

Heat Off-Season Companion Part 4: Damian Lillard’s Agent Has Told Teams Other Than the Heat Not to Trade for Lillard

It is clear that Damian Lillard does not want to be traded to any team except for the Miami Heat. That much has been obvious for a while now. Lillard’s agent has reportedly spoken to other NBA teams that are interested in trading for Lillard, aside from the Heat. In those conversations, Lillard’s agent has told told them not to trade for Lillard.

According to reports, Lillard’s agent has said that Lillard will not happily play for any team other than the Heat. Some reports that indicate that Lillard will refuse to show up to training camp if not traded to the Heat. Those reports also indicate that Lillard might not play a single minute if he is not traded to the Heat. This is a huge boon for the Heat.

Naturally, the Blazers are not obligated to trade Lillard to the Heat. However, other teams aside from the Heat might shy away from trading significant assets for Lillard. No NBA team wants to trade significant assets for a superstar player who doesn’t want to be there.

Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr. Are Doing Well in the 2023 NBA Summer League

The Heat can be happy about the performances of Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr. in the 2023 NBA Summer League. Both Jovic and Jaquez Jr. have played well in Summer League games. Jovic’s performances are especially exciting. Jovic is in his second year as an NBA player and he has the opportunity to contribute to the Heat’s success next season.

Meanwhile, Jaquez Jr. has also played well in Summer League. The Heat drafted Jaquez with the 18th overall pick last June and Jaquez is an exciting prospect. Hopefully, both Jaquez and Jovic can contribute to the Heat’s success next season, if they are not included in a trade for Lillard.

The Heat Continue to Negotiate With The Blazers Over a Damian Lillard Trade

The Blazers and the Heat remain in negotiations over a Damian Lillard trade. It is likely that the Blazers will trade Lillard to the Heat, given the circumstances. We will see what happens. I would bet that Lillard gets traded to the Miami Heat before the start of the 2023-24 NBA season.

Check back next week for more Miami Heat content.