Miami, FL
3 Reasons Damian Lillard Wants To Join Jimmy Butler, Heat Amid Trade Request
Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, and reportedly wants to join the Miami Heat. It goes without saying, but Lillard would seemingly love to team up with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. However, there are three primary reasons why Lillard wants to head to Miami, per Sam Amick of The Athletic.
“He wants to compete with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, to grow inside that famed ‘Heat culture’ system under Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra while becoming the final piece to their championship puzzle,” Amick wrote.
The Heat are a competitive franchise that features recent success. However, they haven’t won a championship since the LeBron James era. Lillard thinks he can help Miami not just reach the NBA Finals, but take home a championship. Additionally, he wants to be apart of the “Heat culture” and play with Butler and Adebayo.
Damian Lillard’s trade request
Lillard’s trade request was surprising to an extent. He’s been one of the most loyal superstars in the NBA over the years, however, he also desperately wants to win. He enjoyed plenty of good seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, but finally asked for a trade this offseason.
Blazers GM Joe Cronin commented on Lillard’s request after the news became public.
“We have been clear that we want Dame here but he notified us today he wants out and he’d prefer to play someplace else. What has not changed for us is that we’re committed to winning, and we are going to do what’s best for the team in pursuit of that goal,” Cronin said, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The Blazers want the best possible return they can get. It remains to be seen if the Heat can meet their desired return. If not, other teams such as the Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, and Los Angeles Lakers could be in the conversation.
In the end, it seems clear that Lillard wants to join Miami and play alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The Blazers have reportedly searched for a third team in a potential Heat deal. This would allow Tyler Herro to be sent to the third team and Portland could fill a more necessary roster need.
We will provide updates on Damian Lillard, the Heat, and the Blazers as they are made available.
As an NFL free agent, former Oregon Ducks safety Jevon Holland signed a three-year deal worth $45 million with the New York Giants. After spending his first four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Holland has now found a new home in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Holland made a comment on the difference between playing college football in Eugene compared to the NFL in Miami. The facilities, gear, and high-level of play at Oregon is treated just like any professional football organization. Possibly even better than most.
“I was coming from Oregon. We got all the fancy gear… I get to the old Dolphins facility. I’m like, this is the league?”
– Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland
New York will now have a pair of Ducks on the defensive side of the ball who are familiar with each other. Defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux and Holland played with each other during the 2019 and 2020 campaigns at Oregon. Thibodeaux was named the Pac-12 Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2019 and was later drafted with the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
“It’s going to be fun. Every time we’re around each other it’s always laughs. I’m really looking forward to running that back just like it was in 2019 in Oregon.”
– Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland
MORE: Bo Nix Ranked: Worst NFL Starting Quarterback To Elite Tier?
MORE: 5-Star Quarterback Recruit Jared Curtis Adds Visits Before Oregon or Georgia Commitment
MORE: Oregon Ducks’ Dana Altman Awaiting Decision From 5-Star Recruit Brayden Buries
The Giants’ defense allowed 24.4 points per game (ranked No. 24 in the NFL) and 47 total touchdowns (ranked No. 27 in the NFL) during the 2024 season. The secondary only snagged five interceptions last year, the second-lowest in the entire league just in front of the Cleveland Browns with four total.
“I think this environment is something that will allow me to be that, to grow. I absolutely think there’s plenty of room left to grow. I’m nowhere near my peak. I think the Giants have the exact environment I need and the personnel I need to be able to reach those new heights and as well lead a group of men and also create a winning culture. And the Giants have a history of a winning culture.”
– Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland
Holland played with the Ducks from 2018-20 and was selected by the Dolphins with the No. 36 pick in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Through four seasons playing at Autzen Stadium, he has collected 245 total tackles, 23 pass deflections, five interceptions, five forced fumbles, four sacks, four fumble recoveries, and one touchdown.
Plenty is seen from Holland’s playing style in future Duck safety Trey McNutt under coach Dan Lanning. Holland has passed on his collegiate jersey number (No. 8) to McNutt. The 6-0, 185-pound safety is the nation’s incoming No. 26 ranked overall recruit as well as No. 2 for his position in the 2025 recruiting class (per On3).
The start of the Miami Open men’s final between Novak Djokovic and unseeded 19-year-old Jakub Mensuk on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium was delayed 5½ hours from its 3 p.m. start time.
The players didn’t take the court until 8:37 p.m. due to rain and organizers deciding on completing the women’s doubles final.
The South Florida rain began at 12:50 p.m. during the women’s doubles final pitting Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider against Cristina Bucsa and Miyu Kato, with Andreeva and Shnaider leading 3-0 in the first set.
Rebecca Blackwell / AP
The women’s players returned to the court at 5:30 p.m. after the rain stopped and the courts were readied by court-drying machinery. But rain began minutes later before warmups and the umbrella-toting players left the court again.
The women returned to the court an hour later and resumed play at 6:50 p.m. Andreeva and Schnaider went the distance, prevailing in a third-set match tiebreaker 6-3, 6-7 (5), 10-2.
About three-quarters of the fans were still in the stadium. Players were told that the doubles championship ceremony would be abbreviated.
Seeded fourth, the 37-year-old Djokovic was seeking his seventh Miami Open title – which would tie him for the record with Andre Agassi.
Djokovic is also attempting to win his 100th career pro title, which would rank third after Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103).
Mensuk, of the Czech Republic, is playing his first ATP 1000 final. He was not quite 2 years old when Djokovic won his first Miami Open title in 2007. Djokovic also won Miami in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 – all coming at the old venue in Key Biscayne.
The age gap of 18 years and 102 days will be the largest in the history of ATP 1000-level final.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – An investigation is ongoing after a shooting occurred on a Miami-Dade County Transit bus.
It happened early Sunday morning outside a shopping plaza on the corner of Miami Gardens Drive and Northwest Seventh Avenue.
Miami Gardens police roped off the entire shopping plaza right next to the area where that bus was parked.
According to police, all of this started around 3 a.m. when officers responded to a disturbance call.
Investigators say the driver of that Miami-Dade Transit bus got into an argument or disagreement of some sort with passengers who were onboard.
At some point, police said the driver pulled out a gun and opened fire, hitting two of the passengers.
Both victims, who are men, were rushed to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital by helicopter in critical condition, but both would later be pronounced dead.
At this point, police say the bus driver is being detained by officers as they conduct their investigation, though it is not clear if he will face any charges.
What led up to the fight is unclear, and officers have not been able to say whether the passengers were armed with any weapons of their own.
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
Estimates Imply That Tariffs Could Fall Heavily on Consumers
Why TV News Anchors Like Joy Reid and Don Lemon Are Moving to Substack
A Quarter-Billion Dollars for Defamation: Inside Greenpeace’s Huge Loss
Sharon Osbourne on Her Ozempic Weight Loss: ‘I Think I Went Too Far'
Funfairs, river walks and Hugh Grant – welcome to Fulham (away)
-
News1 week agoHow a Major Democratic Law Firm Ended Up Bowing to Trump
-
Education1 week agoICE Tells a Cornell Student Activist to Turn Himself In
-
News1 week agoDismantling the Department of Education will strip resources from disabled children, parents and advocates say | CNN
-
News6 days agoWashington Bends to RFK Jr.’s ‘MAHA’ Agenda on Measles, Baby Formula and French Fries
-
Movie Reviews1 week agoFilm Review: Rachel Zegler is the Best Part of an Otherwise Dull Remake of ‘Snow White’ – Awards Radar
-
Politics1 week agoEXCLUSIVE: Groundbreaking new prayer book designed for demographic most targeted for abortion
-
News1 week agoShooting at Park in New Mexico Leaves at At Least 3 Dead and 16 Injured
-
News5 days agoTrump Is Trying to Gain More Power Over Elections. Is His Effort Legal?