Damian Lillard was a guest on the BACKONFIGG show on YouTube and he talked about why he requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard, who has spent his entire NBA career with the Blazers, said he and Portland don’t want the same thing anymore.
“It’s a way that you have to go about things where you can’t be an idiot,” Lillard said. “You say I’m gonna stay down, I’m gonna ride till the wheels fall off and all that stuff. I don’t have to prove that to nobody, like I’ve shown it. I mean that in my heart. But that’s like me and you saying no matter what happens we ain’t telling on each other. Ya know, I’m saying we never tell on each other. And then the day comes where I’m still playing by those same rules.
“Like man, you want the same thing? We’re gonna go out together and then that ain’t the code you want to live by no more,” Lillard added. “So when that happens, you can’t be how it was. … You don’t want the same thing no more and you show me that you don’t want the same thing. We don’t want the same thing.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Lillard requested to be traded from the Blazers to only the Miami 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.
During his trade request talk with the Blazers, Lillard expressed his frustration with the franchise for failing to construct a roster capable of making a title push. The All-Star point guard 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
A future Hall of Famer, 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. Lillard signed a two-year, $121.8 million extension with Portland in July 2022.
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.
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