"The Miami Heat are Fully Committed, Ready to Exchange All but Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo for Damian Lillard"

Miami Heat determined to keep Butler and Adebayo while pursuing Lillard.

The Miami Heat are determined to keep their star players, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, at all costs as they continue their pursuit of Damian Lillard. According to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, the Heat are willing to include anyone else in a potential deal, but Adebayo and Butler are off-limits. Winderman humorously described the situation by saying the Heat have essentially loaded up a dumpster in front of the Trail Blazers and offered to let them pick anyone they want, except for Adebayo and Butler. The Heat are fully committed to making this trade happen.

It's worth noting that the Heat did not aggressively pursue Bradley Beal or other potential moves because they were focused on acquiring Lillard. They have been eager to make a big move in the market for quite some time, as evidenced by their interest in Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell last summer. However, the Heat may face a challenge in terms of assets that they can offer the Trail Blazers. Other teams may have more appealing trade packages, which could sway Portland to explore other options. The Trail Blazers will want to maximize their returns in any potential trade involving Lillard, as it will have a significant impact on the future of their franchise.

While Lillard has expressed a preference to join the Miami Heat, the Trail Blazers are prioritizing the best possible deal for their star player. Unlike Bradley Beal, Lillard does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he does not have the power to veto a trade. He will have to accept whatever destination Portland ultimately decides to send him to.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Trail Blazers are not expected to cooperate with Lillard's desire to be traded to Miami. They are open to working with any team that is interested in acquiring Lillard, even if it's not his preferred landing spot. This presents an opportunity for the Heat to use the situation to their advantage. If Lillard's desire to play for Miami becomes known, other teams may back off from pursuing him, giving the Heat a stronger position in negotiations.

In all likelihood, a trade involving Lillard will require a three-team transaction, with the Heat offering players like Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, and draft compensation. This trade has the potential to reshape the rosters of multiple teams and could have a significant impact on the upcoming NBA season. The Heat are fully committed to making this deal happen and will do whatever it takes to acquire Lillard while keeping their core players intact.

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