The trade saga of Damian Lillard looks likely to stretch out over a few more weeks this offseason, as the team and player seem to disagree on where Lillard should go next.
Lillard has said he only wants to go to the Miami Heat, which, given their weak trade package, has started undoing a lot of the goodwill the team and player had. Fans have been criticizing Dame for giving the Blazers zero flexibility. He simply tweeted ‘I’m amazed’ without context as a likely nod to the current situation.
I’m amazed.
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) July 7, 2023
Lillard issued another tweet clarifying what he meant, but it wasn’t really a conclusive answer in any way.
At how ppl could know so much and so little at the same time https://t.co/I2KwZc7IKa
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) July 7, 2023
Maybe the truth behind this situation comes out when the dust has settled. If Dame is disputing the claims of him only wanting to go to Miami, he should do it more explicitly. He reportedly is warning other non-Heat teams from trading for him.
If he isn’t disputing that, fans of the Blazers are fair to feel upset about his inflexible demand, which could compromise the packages the team receives for him.
Is Damian Lillard To Blame?
Lillard’s story of loyalty to Portland is one of the best ones in the modern era, as he stuck with the team even when they were unsuccessful. However, free agency exists for a reason, and Dame willingly chose to never enter it and choose his team. He signed repeated contract extensions to maximize his salary by sticking with his home team. He wants free agency treatment now when he’s a highly coveted asset under a long-term contract that Portland can trade as they see fit.
To honor everything Dame has done for the franchise, they shouldn’t send him someplace he doesn’t want to go. But it’s not fair for Dame to give them a list of just one name. Even Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were open to multiple destinations before handing in hostile trade requests last season.
Lillard’s legacy as a Blazer will be permanently hurt due to the nature of his exit, as the franchise legend is holding the team hostage over moving him on.
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