NBA Commissioner Adam Silver won’t veto a Damian Lillard trade from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Miami Heat, according to Heavy Sports insider Sean Deveney.
The NBA sent a memo to all 30 teams in the wake of Lillard requesting a trade to the Heat. While Lillard and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, can no longer talk about wanting to play for Miami, Silver will not prevent the Heat from acquiring Lillard.
“That’s not true, no,” one league source told Heavy Sports. “The league wants no more involvement in it, and there is no plan for that.”
Goodwin advised 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. Lillard doesn’t plan to sit out and not play if he’s traded to a non-Miami team, per the NBA’s memo.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Adam Silver, Miami Heat & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Along with the Heat, the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers have been linked to a Lillard trade. However, Miami is believed to be the only team interested in acquiring Lillard since everyone in the NBA knows the superstar’s heart is set on the Heat.
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.
Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists last season for the Blazers. He will make $46.6 million next season. The future Hall of Famer signed a two-year, $121.8 million extension with Portland in July 2022.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Adam Silver, Miami Heat & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
There remains no shift in Lillard’s mindset and his goal of playing for the Heat in the wake of the NBA’s initiative to warn Lillard and his agent that any further comments made “suggesting Lillard will not fully perform the services called for under his player contract in the event of a trade” will be subject to discipline.
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