Damian Lillard Trade Rumors: Clippers, 76ers, Jazz Among Options If Heat Talks Fail
Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard has requested a trade, and he has his sights set on heading to the Miami Heat, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.
"He wants to compete with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, to grow inside that famed 'Heat culture' system under Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra while becoming the final piece to their championship puzzle," Sam Amick of The Athletic reported.
If a trade to Miami can't come to fruition, however, then interested teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz could get into the mix, per Amick:
"According to a source who has been briefed on the situation, that's what was happening in those hours after Lillard's desires were made clear. So while the Heat are still considered the only team that Lillard is truly prepared to play for, there's a process unfolding here that could ultimately lead to other plausible scenarios if the Blazers struggle to find a middle ground with Miami. ...The list of teams that have interest in Lillard is predictably long, and it's known to include Philadelphia, the Clippers and Utah."
Blazers general manager Joe Cronin confirmed Lillard's trade request and made it clear that he would do what's in the best interest of the team.
"We have been clear that we want Dame here but he notified us today he wants out and he'd prefer to play someplace else," Cronin said.
"What has not changed for us is that we're committed to winning, and we are going to do what's best for the team in pursuit of that goal."
With that in mind, it appears Cronin is looking past the Heat for a potentially better trade package in return for the seven-time All-NBA player, who just averaged a career-high 32.2 points per game.
"Front offices talking to Portland today were left with impression that GM Joe Cronin is pursuing a star-level return package for Damian Lillard – and that Cronin plans to look well beyond the Miami Heat to find one," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
Lillard has played all 11 of his seasons with the Blazers, who selected him sixth overall out of Weber State in the 2012 draft. His resume includes seven All-Star Game appearances, an All-NBA first-team honor in 2018, a spot on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team and an Olympic gold medal with Team USA at the 2020 Summer Games.
Naturally, the Blazers will want as much as possible in return for a player of Lillard's caliber. It remains to be seen whether Portland gets a fair package in return or if the team trades him for far less than value, but at the very least, Cronin should have numerous suitors to talk shop with in the coming days.
As for Portland, this marks the end of a prosperous era in which the team made the playoffs eight straight years under Lillard's leadership, including a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2019. Now Portland will rebuild around forward Jerami Grant, who has agreed to a five-year, $160 million contract to stay in town. The Trail Blazers also have a trio of young and talented guards Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons.
For now, though, speculation and rumors on Lillard's future destination is the top story in the NBA as the offseason continues.
