NBA Rumors: Damian Lillard Targeted These Teams After Heat Fell Through

Damian Lillard couldn’t have made it any clearer over the course of the summer. The superstar guard wanted the Trail Blazers to trade him to the Heat.

But as time passed and Lillard realized his Miami dream wasn’t realistic, the seven-time NBA All-Star was forced to update his wish list.

Lillard ultimately landed with one of the teams on his reported final list, as Milwaukee on Wednesday landed the 33-year-old in a three-team deal with Portland and Phoenix. But according to ESPN’s Marc J. Spears, a surprise team drew interest from Lillard as well.

“With Miami talks going nowhere, agent Aaron Goodwin privately told the Bucks and Nets 10 days ago that Dame would be interested in a deal there,” Spears posted to the X platform. “The Raptors were a real contender to land the ex-Blazers star, but ultimately Bucks got it done per Woj (Adrian Wojnarowski) report.”

Lillard wouldn’t have had a superstar running mate in Brooklyn, but that’s something he grew accustomed to over the course of his Portland tenure. Perhaps nice complementary pieces and the New York market were enough to spike Lillard’s interest in the Nets.

But when it comes to the quest for his first championship, Lillard ended up in a great spot. The new-look Bucks should be a force to be reckoned with this season.