This offseason is headlined by yet another trade saga of an All-Star player, as Damian Lillard sits on the market waiting for the Portland Trail Blazers to send him to the Miami Heat, something the franchise does not want to do.
NBA veteran Austin Rivers blasted the culture of superstars demanding trades to specific locations with multiple years on their contract, holding previous trade sagas involving James Harden and Ben Simmons as examples.
“If you were a free agent, then you could choose where you were gonna go. That’s the business. But when you’re not and sign a deal man, that’s a part of the business. If you get traded somewhere, you gotta go play. This started with James [Harden] and Ben [Simmons] and all these guys doing this sh*t. It’s bad for the league.”
"If you were a free agent, then you could choose where you were gonna go… This started with James [Harden] and Ben [Simmons] and all these guys doing this sh*t. It's bad for the league."
Austin Rivers on Damian Lillard's trade demand
(via ringernba/TT)pic.twitter.com/IsBfRAlace
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 24, 2023
Rivers also pointed out how these actions have impacted the new collective bargaining agreement, which ultimately reduces the amount of money being thrown around by owners by implementing stronger cap rules, making them exercise restraint.
Lillard’s case isn’t remotely comparable to what Harden or Simmons did, so equating these situations as the same might be a little unfair.
Are Damian Lillard’s Actions Mirroring James Harden And Ben Simmons?
Damian Lillard spent 12 seasons with undying loyalty for the Blazers, doing everything he can to keep them competitive. Despite his best efforts, the team never won a Conference Finals game in his time, which has reached a natural conclusion. The hiccup is that Dame’s wishes actively don’t let the Blazers get maximum value for him, as the Miami Heat have a substandard offer on the table.
Harden and Simmons requested out of their teams in far more acrimonious ways, with Harden currently in the middle of his third trade request in three seasons. Simmons did not block any destinations based on preference when being sent away from Philly while Harden allowed his teams to get commensurate value for him by having a list with more than just one destination on it.
Lillard was loyal and is asking to be sent to his destination, but the chances of the Blazers getting a package even comparable to what the Nets got for Harden in 2022 will be a challenge.
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