Damian Lillard wanted the Portland Trail Blazers to add several impactful veterans this summer, according to NBA insider Marc J. Spears of Andscape. The seven-time All-Star requested a trade to the Miami Heat after the Blazers didn’t sign any veterans in free agency.
“Lillard hoped that the Blazers would add several impactful veterans to the bench, a source told Andscape, but that didn’t happen in free agency,” Spears wrote. “Portland did re-sign veteran forward Jerami Grant in July in the offseason, but the Blazers are in rebuilding mode with a predominantly young roster featuring rookie Scoot Henderson (19 years old), Anfernee Simons (24) and Shaedon Sharpe (20).”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Lillard was upset the Blazers didn’t trade the third overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft for a star player. Portland drafted Scoot Henderson, who plays the same position as Lillard, with the third pick.
Lillard requested to be traded from the Blazers to only the Heat on July 1. He has spent all 11 seasons of his NBA career with Portland, which selected him with the sixth pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The Blazers finished 33-49 and 13th in the Western Conference last season.
Lillard expressed his frustration with the Blazers in recent years for failing to construct a roster capable of making a title push. The Weber State product felt the time was now to request a trade after coming off a career season. He averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists last season for the Blazers.
Lillard will make $46.6 million next season. The future Hall of Famer signed a two-year, $121.8 million extension with the Blazers in July 2022.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
When asked by Spears about his title aspirations, Lillard — the best player in Blazers franchise history — said: “It’s higher than it’s ever been. When you’re younger and you’re winning, you realize that you got time. When you establish yourself in the league and you know that you’re here to stay, you feel like you have time.
“The older you get, that just means more time that you’ve put into it, especially when you’re at the top of the game and you’re having all these individual accomplishments, it becomes more and more of a priority to have the ultimate accomplishment, which is why we play the game, in winning the championship.”
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