Damian Lillard-Miami Heat trade talk continue to fuel NBA

Amid silence from the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers regarding trade deliberations for Blazers guard Damian Lillard, outside echoes continue to drive the conversation.

Included among them were the thoughts of former NBA player and assistant coach Evan Turner when it came to the Heat’s perceived offer for his ex-Blazers teammate.

“When they were doing that stuff, Miami Heat tried to send Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson for a Top 75 player . . . hell no,” Turner said on the “No Chill w Gilbert Arenas” podcast on Fubo Sports. “I don’t give a damn if the points match up or the money. I need me a superstar. So I think Portland has to do what makes sense for them.”

That said, Turner said he also appreciated Lillard’s desire to move on from the rebuilding Blazers to a contender.

“Sometimes you gotta go out and find the right situation,” Turner said. “So I’m glad he’s able to do that and put himself in a better position.”

A year ago, the Heat were involved in similar superstar trade negotiations regarding Kevin Durant, with Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks instead waiting for the February NBA trading deadline to move Durant to the Phoenix Suns.

Appearing on SiriusXM NBA radio, Marks said he can appreciate the Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin taking a patient approach in the wake of Lillard issuing a mandate to be dealt to the Heat.

“There’s a lot of noise out there,” Marks said. “I certainly understand what Portland is going through right now, what Joe is going through right now. We’ve had to go through that for the last year. It’s not easy. But I think you have to look at this, ‘OK, what’s the best thing for the franchise moving forward?’

“And I think it’s never quite as bad as what people make it out to be. And it’s probably never probably as good as the media or speculation makes it out to be, too. You know what’s going on inside your house, and you manage that. And I think that’s what we’ve managed to do through thick and thin.

“We’ll have to wait and see how Portland goes about this and how they build.”

Also on SiriusXM NBA radio, New Orleans Pelicans executive David Griffin said what the Blazers need most is leverage in the form of the perception of multiple bids. Griffin likened it to when the Pelicans traded Anthony Daivis to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019.

“The best thing that can happen to you when you’re in Joe Cronin’s situation, and I know because I lived this, is for the noise to be as loud and just a cacophony of voices that are involved to be as loud as possible, for people to make up as many things as possible,” Griffin said. “I want people to invent as many different scenarios as they can and put them out into the universe, because it gives you leverage. If there’s actually a chance that you would trade him somewhere other than Miami, you get a much better deal.

“We were blessed that the deal we made with L.A. in large part was fueled by all of the noise around other teams. Boston was one of them that was out there as a potential landing spot, and it gave us leverage that we probably didn’t deserve. I think in this situation, they’re going to need to create a landing spot that’s not just Miami, because it could be difficult to make that deal.”

Highsmith guarantee

With their Saturday deadline approaching, the Heat are guaranteeing the 2023-24 final season on the three-year contract of forward Haywood Highsmith, who will earn $1.9 million.

The agreement gives the Heat 12 players under guaranteed contract: Bam Adebayo, Thomas Bryant, Jimmy Butler, Herro, Highsmith, Jamie Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic,  Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Josh Richardson and Robinson.

Orlando Robinson also is under contact, but with just a $75,000 guarantee.

Teams are allowed to carry a maximum of 15 players under standard contract during the regular season, with the Heat still with two open such roster spots.

Teams also can carry three players on two-contracts.

Highsmith, 26, appeared in 54 games this past season, after appearing in 24 in his first two NBA seasons.

“I definitely want a bigger role,” Highsmith said last month during exit interviews. “I think for me, this offseason is big for me just to keep getting better, being more confident. I’m a defender first, keep shooting the open threes, keep developing my shot. Also, just putting the ball on the floor more and making plays, I think I can do some more of that.”