The Portland Trail Blazers are using Summer League in Las Vegas to get a fuller understanding of the trade market for Damian Lillard, according to NBA insider Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Lillard has demanded that the Blazers trade him to the Miami Heat, but Portland is going to talk to other teams since Lillard doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract and can’t force his way to Miami.
“(Blazers GM Joe) Cronin was known to be spending summer league getting a fuller understanding of the market for Lillard, including among teams that might make a play for him despite his well-known Miami wishes,” Amick wrote. “But the pressure will grow in the coming months, when the spotlight surrounding Lillard and Harden brightens yet again and their impatience inevitably grows along the way.”
The Heat are the only team Lillard wants to get traded to. The seven-time All-Star has no interest in playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets. The Blazers, though, have not been impressed by the Heat’s trade package for Lillard.
It appears a third team will need to get involved for Lillard to land in Miami next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers & Miami Heat Updates
Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists last season for the Blazers. The Heat, who have reached two NBA Finals since Butler came to Miami in 2019, believe they can win it all next season with Lillard in the fold next to Butler and Adebayo.
The Heat are 0-2 in the NBA Finals in the Butler-Adebayo era, which started in 2019-20. The team is missing a scorer and playmaker like Lillard, who has career averages of 25.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists. Butler has told Hall of Famer Pat Riley that he wants Lillard on the Heat.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers & Miami Heat Updates
Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, has been advising non-Heat teams to not trade for his client. Since Lillard doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract, the Blazers can trade the superstar anywhere.
However, the expectation around Lillard is that his insistence on Miami will discourage other teams from offering their best assets to try to acquire him from Portland.
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