Damian Lillard had his reasons for requesting a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, specifically to play for the Miami Heat.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick detailed the actual reason why the mercurial point guard asked his way out of Portland.
“Lillard was still hopeful that the Blazers would find the kind of deal that would make him want to stay. But nothing of substance would emerge,” Amick wrote.
He further added:
“When the Blazers had a quiet first night of free agency, re-signing forward Jerami Grant on a five-year, $160 million deal but failing to add any new players, that was the unofficial end. Then after a late-night phone conversation with Blazers coach Chauncey Billups in which they discussed the unfortunate state of affairs, Lillard made up his mind: It was time to leave Portland for Miami.”
Quite simply, Lillard’s move boiled down to the fact that the Blazers couldn’t surround him with a roster that would make the team contenders. While they did show interest in a few names prior to his asking out, nothing ever came to fruition.
On their part, the Heat has been more than welcoming and are ready to trade most of their pieces except superstars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, with whom Lillard could play alongside and bolster their chances of winning a title.
The Blazers failed to make the playoffs this time despite the 32-year-old’s stellar run, and that makes for another reason behind his exit ask. The one thing the Blazers are sure of is not accepting anything from Miami if it’s not what is “best for the franchise”.
The Blazers Could Be In Trouble If They Don’t Trade Damian Lillard To The Heat
NBA analyst Ryen Russillo believes the Portland Trail Blazers’ failure to trade Lillard could hamper their chances of landing an All-Star-level player in the future.
“There will not be an All-Star caliber player that requests a trade in a few years that says, ‘I was leaning L.A. or Miami, but I really like the way Portland handled the Dame situation. I demand to become a Trail Blazer,'” Russillo tweeted.
Lillard averaged 32.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 7.3 APG in the 2022-23 NBA season, while the team he wants to play for made their second NBA Finals appearance in the last four seasons. Should he join them, both parties will have a solid chance of winning a ring.
Will the Blazers honor Lillard’s request to be traded to the Heat? Only time will tell.
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