Miami Doesn’t Need Damian Lillard… but it Certainly Would’ve Been Nice to Have Him.

If you were to ask a Miami Heat fan where they were on July 8, 2010 (1), the day LeBron James infamously announced he would be “taking his talents to South Beach” to join forces with perennial All-Stars, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, they likely would be able to tell you with the utmost of certainty. A Miami Heat fan would be able to describe in exquisite detail the emotions they felt running through their body as they tried to comprehend what happened that day at the Boys & Girls Club in Greenwich, CT (2). They’d be able to recall the elaborate conversations they shared with one-another as they discussed how many games the team would be able to win that year. They’d remember checking their bank accounts to see if it was possible for them to collectively scrape together enough money to see a game in person. Most importantly, they’d be able to recall the hope they felt…the overall sense of pride they possessed… the badge of honor they carried… to be a Heat fan prior to the construction of Miami’s “Big 3.”

Yes. I’m a Miami Heat fan.

Thirteen years ago, when LeBron first announced his decision to join the team, I was ecstatic. At the time, I couldn’t fathom a world in which LeBron James linked up with my favorite player, Dwyane Wade, in hopes of winning his first NBA championship. To this day, I’ve experienced nothing like it.

That is… until news dropped last Wednesday saying Damian Lillard was being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks (9).

Lillard’s blockbuster trade comes months after the Trail Blazers (and Lillard himself) essentially strung along the Heat for an entire off-season, making fans believe Lillard would some-how end up in a Heat Jersey. Cryptic Instagram posts, interesting captions, subliminal messages, personal Twitter likes, and matter-of-fact comments flooded social media sites as Lillard attempted to force a trade to the Heat (3,4). While I’m sure Pat Riley didn’t offer the best package available, at least initially, it was clear from the start: the Blazers didn’t want anything to do with us [the Heat].

In retrospect, that’s okay — we didn’t need him anyways.

With three NBA Championships (2006, 2012, 2013), and two recent NBA Finals appearances (2020 and 2023) under our belt, Miami’s success can largely be attributed to one thing: culture. As a Heat fan, all too often you hear about the level of professionalism required by the organization. Intense training regimens, strict body fat percentage requirements, strong mentorship/leadership roles exhibited by veteran players, etc. (5) Surprisingly, there’s one unique characteristic not many people seem to know/talk about: Miami is home to players who have “something to prove.”

Take for example my favorite player, Dwyane Wade. D. Wade was drafted 5^th overall in the 2003 NBA Draft. A solid prospect out of Marquette University, he was expected to be an impact player right away. According to an anonymous Eastern Conference scout (6,7), “He is going to have to add a jump shot to his arsenal,” and “you have to question that 6-4 size Marquette listed him at.” Before he played a single game, people were already questioning his ability.

In 2004, when Shaquille O’Neal joined the team, people wondered if he was still a dominant big man. They questioned his conditioning, his work ethic… could he win a championship without Kobe?

During Miami’s “Big 3” era… Could LeBron successfully lead a team to a championship? Will Chris Bosh find his role? Can D. Wade sacrifice for the team? The answer to all those questions was a resounding yes.

Which brings us to modern day… The most recent Miami Heat player with a tremendous chip on his shoulder has to be Tyler Herro. After sitting out until Game 5 of the 2023 NBA Finals with a broken hand (8), Herro had to listen to every negative thing the world had to say about him. Should he have come back sooner? Does the team play better without him? Is the organization trying to get rid of him? Did the Blazers not want him? In the midst of controversy, he had to show up and act like nothing ever happened. So far, he’s done an exceptional job of that.

In all honesty, when national news hit surrounding Damian Lillard, I was genuinely disappointed.

Damian Lillard fits the “mold,” and would’ve been a perfect fit for our team. He’s been underrated his whole career, and just like Miami’s “Big 3” did in 2010-2011, he wants to prove he can be a key contributor on a championship team. Fortunately, he has the ability to do that this season with the Bucks.

Miami doesn’t need Damian Lillard… but I’d be lying if I said it wouldn’t have been nice to have him. I wish him the best.