Grade the trade: New Blazers Lillard proposal viewed as ‘certainly a risk’

It’s been two-and-a-half months since Damian Lillard requested a trade. Since then, there’s reportedly been little dialogue between the Portland Trail Blazers and Dame’s preferred team, the Miami Heat.

Talks are ready to ramp back up, though (please yes) as teams head toward media day, training camp, preseason and the regular season.

More pressure will be on the Blazers organization to find a deal for a former franchise star who doesn’t want to be in Portland and, to a lesser extent, a team like Miami, who would presumably want to get Lillard in the door as soon as possible.

The stalemate remains, though, as the Trail Blazers are asking the Heat for additional pieces in a trade and Miami won’t budge. The best thing that can happen for Portland is for another team to make a legitimate offer for Dame, and one, drive the price up, or two, offer a better deal.

Portland sends Lillard somewhere other than Miami in risky proposal

One of the latest trade proposals from ESPN (subscription required) has the Blazers swapping their 33-year-old point guard for another franchise star; or at least the theoretical idea of one.

Instead of giving in to what the Heat are offering – reportedly three or four first-round picks, a young player and potentially a few second-rounders – Portland General Manger Joe Cronin decides to keep Lillard in the Western Conference and acquire young talent rather than future draft capital.

But is it better than what the Blazers could get from the Heat?