Former NBA player turned analyst Kendrick Perkins does not think that adding Damian Lillard would be a difference maker for the Heat as far winning the Eastern Conference goes.
He picked the 2021 NBA champions as the favorites to come out of the East and reach the NBA Finals this upcoming season.
“I would not come on here and disrespect the Heat culture, Erik Spoelstra and Jimmy Butler. But I will say this – they’re not the favorites, nor would I have them to favor even if they picked up Damian Lillard,” Perkins said on NBA Today.
“The Milwaukee Bucks the way that they’re currently constructed, we know what Giannis is going to bring to the table. And let’s be honest, part of being able to get to the finals and win the championshinp you have to be lucky with health and we know that Giannis Antetokounmpo, he missed a few games in that series and even when he came back he still wasn’t 70 percent healthy. So now you look at Khris Middleton, he finally get an offseason.
“I have everything invested into the Milwaukee Bucks this upcoming season as far as representing the Eastern Conference. I don’t want to disrespect the Miami Heat, but even if they get Damian Lillard and they were to face this Milwaukee Bucks team again, I’m picking Milwaukee in the series and I’m picking Milwaukee to go on to the NBA Finals and represent the East.”
