- James Harden’s fearless war with Daryl Morey is putting the whole league on notice
- Damian Lillard trade is still a long way off
- “Toxicity” could become part of Lillard’s trade strategy
As James Harden resorts to extreme measures in order to force a trade out of Philadelphia, the world is looking at Damian Lillard for any hints on what he might do next. With trade talks stalled between Portland and Miami, progress is almost nonexistent and some are calling on Lillard to act.
“Damian Lillard should be taking notes,” said league insider Pablo Torre on the Dan LeBatard Show. “This is how you do this. You make a giant mess. You involve every bit of leverage you did not have by generating controversy and toxicity.”
"Damian Lillard should be taking notes. This is how you do this. You make a giant mess. You involve every bit of leverage you did not have by generating controversy and toxicity." – @PabloTorre explains why James Harden making a stink for the Sixers is something other stars… pic.twitter.com/pHrtNVnoKM
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) August 14, 2023
Harden has come out publicly to call Morey a “liar” and while reports indicate that the GM is “unmoved” by recent events, this whole situation is sure to cause some damage within the organization.
Moving on to Lillard and the Blazers, there are some key differences worth mentioning. For one, Lillard’s extensive history with the Blazers makes it unlikely he’d resort to such crude methods to force his way out. Additionally, the NBA has already come out to warn Damian against reiterating his desire for a trade any further.
The most important detail in all of this, of course, is the fact that Dame still has three years left on his deal. Unlike Harden, Lillard can’t threaten to withhold his services because everyone knows he will not sacrifice three years of his prime.
Will Damian Lillard Successfully Force A Trade?
Even if he does go nuclear with his trade demand, the Blazers still have all the leverage in this situation. And after establishing himself as the greatest player in franchise history, GM Joe Cronin isn’t going to trade Damian Lillard for pennies on the dollar.
At this point, all the pressure falls on the Heat to step up with a reasonable offer and get the job done by any means necessary. After watching several of their own players walk, failure is really not an option for Miami this summer, and we should expect some more noise from them before the start of training camp next month.
In the meantime, things will likely move slowly on the Lillard front, and that’s if things even move at all.
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