Celtics Legend Has Aggressive Take On Damian Lillard-Heat Rumors

NBA fans are pumped to see Damian Lillard potentially play for the Miami Heat, but one Boston Celtics legend threw cold water on the hype.

The All-NBA star requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, and his preferred destination is the Heat. But Blazers general manager Joe Cronin isn't going to make a hasty move and is willing to wait things out for as long as it takes.

The Celtics reportedly inquired about what it would take to acquire Lillard, and other teams reportedly have interest in trading for the Portland star.

All signs point to Miami, but the question is what the Trail Blazers get in return. Lillard, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo on the same team presumably would keep the Heat in NBA Finals contention, but Paul Pierce didn't think so.

"You put them together, they won't make it out of the first round," Pierce said on "Showtime Basketball" on Thursday. "Y'all don't understand how they got to the championship this year. A lot of this had to do with their depth and guys playing way above their pay grade. Caleb (Martin) -- these guys were averaging 20 points on Boston. We ain't ever seen them do that -- Duncan Robinson. So, if you get Dame, they gone. They already gone, but you lose another 18-point per-game scorer. You're gonna gut that team out. They lost (Gabe) Vincent, (Max) Strus."

Rachel Nichols and Tracy McGrady pointed out the players Pierce mentioned weren't seen as vital players before the postseason and how Miami has a proclivity for finding hidden gems that become key rotation players.

Pierce remained pessimistic, pointing out how the Heat were a play-in team, and didn't believe Miami could strike it hot again.

But it's aggressive to say Miami won't make it out of the first round. The Heat have made it to the NBA Finals or Eastern Conference finals in three out of the past four seasons, and they've only missed the playoffs in three out of the past 10 seasons.

"Heat culture" might be a real thing, but Pierce didn't seem to buy it when comes to Lillard.