The Portland Trail Blazers were prepared to trade Damian Lillard to the Miami Heat before Lillard’s agent (Aaron Goodwin) made comments to the media that rubbed them the wrong way, according to NBA insider Ben Maller.
Goodwin told several NBA reporters publicly that Lillard only wanted to play for the Heat. The agent also told non-Heat teams to not trade for Lillard, who didn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS:Â Damian Lillard, Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers Updates
The Blazers ended up trading Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. Once Lillard was convinced that joining the Heat was virtually impossible, he became open to the prospect of playing for the Bucks and Brooklyn Nets.
The Blazers traded Lillard to the Bucks in a three-team deal that sent Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, a 2029 first-round Bucks pick and two Bucks pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 to Portland. Meanwhile, Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Keon Johnson and Grayson Allen were traded to the Phoenix Suns. The Blazers rerouted Holiday to the Boston Celtics.
Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists last season, while Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. Many people around the NBA believe the Bucks will win the championship this season since they have a lethal Big 3 of Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Khris Middleton.
Lillard signed a two-year, $121 million extension with the Blazers in July 2022. He’ll make $45.6 million this season. The All-Star point guard has career averages of 25.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists. He has made seven All-NBA teams and seven All-Star teams and was named one of the top 75 players of all time.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS:Â Damian Lillard, Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers Updates
“My whole life I’ve been on underdog teams and if we had a good season, we overachieved. Now I’ll be able to play with a player that’s better than me and to be a part of a great overall team is a dream come true,” Lillard told NBA reporter Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. “That’s never been my experience. It’s time for me to be in this situation. And knowing myself enough, I’m going to take advantage of it. I’m excited for this opportunity.”
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