The franchise arguably—I said arguably!—most impacted by the three-team stunner that sent Damian Lillard to the Bucks is the Heat.
Miami was Lillard’s preferred destination when he requested a trade in July. Instead, the Heat, which surprisingly made the Finals as the eight seed in June, are left scrambling to upgrade a roster that saw significant departures this offseason, all while one of their chief rivals made a massive upgrade.
There are a few layers to unpack here. Several fan bases and media members are taking quite the victory lap in the wake of Miami’s non-acquisition. Frankly, it’s not undeserved. There was a bit of hubris emanating from South Florida this summer, with fans and media alike claiming the Heat had the ultimate leverage in the Lillard situation. Why, some wondered, should the team make an overwhelming offer for Dame if no market for him was going to materialize? Meanwhile, those outside of Miami questioned whether the Heat even had a properly-whelming offer to make in the first place.
