![\"Damian](\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/t_share\/MjE0Njc1MzU5NDgyNzgzNTI0\/bucks-news.jpg\")
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The\u00a0Miami Heat<\/a>\u00a0have been in a rough place since\u00a0Jimmy Butler<\/a>\u00a0forced his way out of town and the franchise limped into the first round Eastern Conference playoffs as the No. 8 seed, only to be promptly bounced by the\u00a0Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a>\u00a0in four straight games.<\/p>\n But things have been looking up for the franchise since, starting with Lithuanian guard and former Illinois star\u00a0Kasparas Jakucionis<\/a>\u00a0inexplicably falling to Miami at No. 20 in the\u00a0NBA<\/a>\u00a0draft.<\/p>\n “Not only did the Heat get the No. 10 player on my big board, they also got a player who fills a roster void and fits their culture and style of play perfectly,”\u00a0ESPN’s Jonathan Givony wrote on June 28<\/a>. “Jakucionis (6-foot-6, 205 pounds) has the ball-handling and playmaking ability to offer much-needed shot creation in the backcourt, but he also is big enough to operate off the ball alongside All-Star combo guard\u00a0Tyler Herro<\/a>.”<\/p>\n Now, just days later, another elite guard is positioned to fall into Miami’s lap.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Milwaukee Bucks<\/a>\u00a0made the jaw-dropping decision to waive superstar guard\u00a0Damian Lillard<\/a>\u00a0and stretch the remaining\u00a0$112.5 million<\/a>\u00a0on his contract over the next five years. Milwaukee’s call came on Tuesday, July 1 — the second day of free agency — just over two months after Lillard tore his Achilles tendon during the team’s first-round playoff series against the eventual Eastern Conference champion\u00a0Indiana Pacers<\/a>.<\/p>\n “League sources say Lillard is elated with this decision, as it puts him in the kind of basketball-first position that few All-Star-level players, if any, have experienced in league history,”\u00a0Sam Amick, John Hollinger, Eric Nehm and Tobias Bass of The Athletic reported<\/a>. “In short, he\u2019ll be able to join the contending team of his choosing, either sometime soon or perhaps next summer, without the financial aspect of the decision playing a significant part.”<\/p>\n The Athletic added that several teams reached out to Lillard immediately following the news, and presumably the Heat were among them based on a report from Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.<\/p>\n The Heat — this is no surprise — are expected to have interest in Damian Lillard, who very surprisingly now holds a lot of cards he didn't expect to hold.<\/p>\n — Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) July 1, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n