The Portland Trail Blazers don’t want to trade Damian Lillard at this point, according to NBA insider Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Lillard has requested a trade from the Blazers and only wants to get traded to the Miami Heat. However, Portland is not impressed with Miami’s offer for Lillard.
“I don’t even know if I buy it 100 percent, but someone that has knowledge of what’s going on, they’re not even convinced that Portland wants to trade Damian Lillard at this point,” Chiang said on his podcast. “It almost feels like they’re trying to find a way to maybe change his mind or delay this and see if Dame goes, ‘Well, I’ll just be part of this.’“
The Blazers used Summer League in Las Vegas to get a fuller understanding of the trade market for Lillard, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Portland general manager Joe Cronin told reporters in Vegas that he’s willing to wait months to trade Lillard since he wants to get the best package possible in return for the All-Star guard.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Miami Heat & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
The Heat are the only team Lillard wants to get traded to. The superstar has no interest in playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets. Since the Blazers 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.
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, but the Blazers have thus far resisted trading Lillard to South Beach.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Miami Heat & Portland Trail Blazers 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 Weber State product anywhere.
The NBA has sent a memo to all 30 teams in the wake of Lillard requesting a trade to the Heat. Lillard and his agent can no longer talk about wanting to play for Miami.
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