The Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat have made “no progress at all” on a Damian Lillard trade, according to NBA insider Zach Lowe of ESPN.
Lillard has demanded that the Blazers trade him to the Heat. However, Portland has thus far not been impressed with Miami’s offer for the seven-time All-Star.
“The buzz going around Vegas is they are not entirely bluffing when they say, ‘If he’s on our team in training camp, he’s on our team in training camp. We’re okay with that.’ Maybe they are, maybe they’re not,” Lowe said on his podcast. “But that’s certainly what they’re signaling. And clearly, there’s been no progress at all, so to speak of, with the deal with the Heat.”
Blazers general manager Joe Cronin told reporters on July 10 in Las Vegas at Summer League that he’s not going to rush a Lillard trade. In fact, Cronin is willing to wait “months” to trade Lillard, who doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract.
“So I think that’s how my approach has been with this and will be with this,” Cronin said. “We’re going to be patient; we’re going to do what’s best for our team. We’re going to see how this lands. And if it takes months, it takes months.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers & Miami Heat Updates
Cronin, who hasn’t spoken to Lillard since the future Hall of Famer requested a trade, is going to be very patient so he can get the best package in return for Lillard. Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, has been reaching out to teams not named the Heat, telling them not to trade for his client. Portland is pursuing the sliding-scale superstar package of desirable draft picks and high-level young players.
It’s doubtful a non-Heat team will trade for Lillard since everyone in the NBA knows the Weber State product wants to play for Miami. Goodwin has relayed to teams that Lillard would be unhappy if he’s not traded to the Heat.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers & Miami Heat Updates
Lillard was upset the Blazers didn’t trade the third overall pick in the 2023 draft for a star player. Portland drafted Scoot Henderson, who plays the same position as Lillard, with the third pick.
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