Since Damian Lillard announced his intention to leave the Portland Trail Blazers, that team has been unimpressed by the deals offered by the Miami Heat.
But are those deals really that bad?
Speaking on Zach Lowe’s show, via Dru on Twitter, Kevin Pelton said that the Miami trade is “better than it’s been characterized.”
He said that the future draft picks presented by Miami could be “very valuable” to the Blazers in the future.
He also added that the deal is substantial for the Heat too, especially when you consider Pat Riley’s age and talent.
“How much longer is [Riley] going to be around to pull rabbits out of his hat when they seemed backed into a corner?” Pelton asked.
The Blazers and Heat have been going in circles for weeks now.
The Heat have allegedly offered multiple draft picks and even some current players in order to land Lillard.
But Portland hasn’t been blown away by what they see.
Pelton says that the draft picks might not allow the Blazers to win right away but they could be very helpful in the years ahead.
It might not be the perfect deal but it’s probably the best it’ll get for the Blazers.
As for the Heat, they are grateful for all that Riley has done over the years.
But at 78 years old, how much longer can the Hall of Famer continue to make magic via trades?
The Heat are willing to part ways with some consequential draft picks to get Lillard.
And if Riley retires within the next few years, that could have a huge impact on their future.
