During an interview with NBA reporter Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Damian Lillard publicly confirmed for the first time that he requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. The seven-time All-Star wants to get traded to the Miami Heat.
“I can say that there was [a trade request] and I would just prefer not to speak on the Trail Blazers,” Lillard said. “I love the city of Portland. Every initiative that I’ve started, I’ll continue and I’ll finish regardless of anything. The love will be that because the way I’ve said I feel about Portland is how I feel about Portland. I say what I mean and I mean what I say. It’s been fine. It’s been what it’s always been.”
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.
“I’m not going to speak on the Blazers,” Lillard said. “It’s a lot of love and respect, but I won’t speak on the Blazers.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Miami Heat & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Lillard only wants to get traded to the Heat because he’s close friends with Bam Adebayo and believes he can win an NBA championship in Miami playing alongside Jimmy Butler and Adebayo. However, the Blazers have not been impressed with the Heat’s offers for Lillard.
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. 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 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, Miami Heat & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Miami has been working on a trade package for Lillard made up of expiring contracts, three to four first-round picks and one of the team’s younger players, with Tyler Herro going to a third team. The deal could potentially also involve second-rounders and draft pick swaps, according to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic.
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