Damian Lillard Rumors: Blazers Star Wants to Be in POR amid Heat Trade Buzz

There might ultimately be little to report when it comes to the trade market for Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Monday on The Pat McAfee Show that Lillard prefers to stay in Portland in the hope that the team makes some upgrades to the roster.

Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported Sunday that the Miami Heat are looking at the seven-time All-Star and possess a "genuine belief this could be the offseason the veteran guard seeks a change of scenery."

Bradley Beal's trade to the Phoenix Suns is an example of how quickly a blockbuster trade can come together when everybody is pulling in the same direction.

The Athletic first reported June 14 the Washington Wizards would entertain a Beal trade if they embarked on a full rebuild. By Sunday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the 29-year-old was on the move.

If Lillard were resolved to leave Portland, then an agreement might already be done by this point. At the very least, there presumably would've been more rumblings about him openly weighing his options.

Instead, the franchise legend seems to be indicating the same thing he has in every past offseason when he was the subject of trade speculation.

The threat of a trade request may be more acute for the Blazers than it has ever been, though.

The Blazers have gone two straight years without making the playoffs, and Lillard isn't getting any younger. NBA insider Marc Stein provided this insight Sunday:

"There is a rising belief leaguewide, as covered in this Saturday column that promised you an ASAP resolution to the Beal Sweepstakes, that Damian Lillard might finally be motivated to push for a trade away from the Pacific Northwest if the Trail Blazers can't construct a deal for win-now talent featuring the No. 3 pick."

Lillard also entertained the idea of playing for the Heat, albeit in a totally hypothetical context.

The Blazers can't rest on their laurels this summer and expect Lillard's sense of loyalty to override his desire to win now. But he's clearly giving them every opportunity to make it worthwhile to stick around.