It has been expected — highly anticipated in some corners — but it is still the sad end of an era in the Pacific Northwest.
Damian Lillard has reportedly requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. His preferred destinations are Miami or Brooklyn. Chris Haynes of TNT/Bleacher Report — who has close ties with Lillard — was first with the story.
BREAKING NEWS: Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard has requested a trade this morning, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport. pic.twitter.com/Udi1h7OQyA
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2023
Haynes went on to say Miami and Brooklyn are his preferred destinations, but since then multiple other reports have gone on to say Miami alone is where Lillard wants to land. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN says the Clippers and 76ers want to get in the mix as well, but there is a strong relationship between Lillard and the Trail Blazers — a genuine affinity for each other — and Portland is not going to consider destinations Lillard does not want. However, what Lillard wants can shift.
This is the end of an era in Portland, where Lillard should go down as the greatest Trail Blazer ever (with apologies to Clyde Drexler). Lillard played 11 seasons there and averaged 25.2 points and 6.7 assists a game, he was a seven-time All-Star and a seven-time All-NBA player who was part of the NBA’s 75 best players at the NBA’s 75th Anniversary.
Looking at the Heat’s actions so far in free agency — letting both Gabe Vincent and Max Strus leave without making winning bids to keep them — suggested they knew what was coming and were preparing to put Lillard next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo on a team that just went to the NBA Finals.
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler relayed to the team weeks ago that Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard should be the No. 1 target this offseason, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2023
Miami’s offer reportedly centers around Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and two or three first-round picks. The Heat can adjust that with Kyle Lowry in Herro’s spot (or both and the Heat take back Jusuf Nurkic as well), plus Caleb Martin and other young players with promise such as Nikola Jovic or the just-drafted Jaime Jaquez Jr. out of UCLA added to the mix. Miami does not want to put Martin in a trade if possible. A more likely option is to bring in a third team to help get Portland more young assets in a deal.
Brooklyn could make this an interesting decision for Portland — they have a wealth of picks via the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trades and can send out up to six first-rounders (the trade would have Ben Simmons and his massive salary as a base plus some young players as well). It’s much easier to put together a strong offer from the Nets.
