An NBA executive told Sean Deveney of Forbes that Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard’s trade value isn’t that high. Lillard requested a trade from the Blazers to the Miami Heat, but Portland and Miami haven’t made any progress on a deal.
“I don’t think anyone likes the idea of Dame coming in and forcing the Blazers’ hand like this, forcing them to take a deal from a team that does not have the assets,” one NBA front-office executive told Deveney. “That’s a bad precedent, and it is one we are seeing too much of. But if Dame had not said, ‘Miami or nothing,’ where else was Portland really going to go for a deal? Maybe Brooklyn? But where else? There’s not that many teams that are going to give you a bunch of players and picks for a 33-year-old who can’t stay healthy and has a giant contract sitting there.”
Lillard still wants the Blazers to trade him to the Heat despite 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, according to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Lillard is close friends with Heat center Bam Adebayo and believes he can win an NBA championship in Miami playing alongside Jimmy Butler and Adebayo. The Heat have been working on a trade package for Lillard 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.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers Updates
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. 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.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers Updates
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.
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