Lillard trade update: Stalemate continues as Lillard’s camp pushes Miami or bust scenario

The update on the Daman Lillard trade saga is there isn’t much of an update.

The situation continues to drag out as Lillard continues to demand a trade to Miami or bust, Portland continues not to like the Heat’s straight up offer, and efforts to get a third and maybe fourth team into a massive trade continue. Lillard’s agent Aaron Goodwin told the Oregonian’s Aaron J. Fentress he wants the Trail Blazers to “have a meaningful negotiation with Miami.”

Just spoke with Damian Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin:

“I had a positive conversation with Joe (Cronin) and I made it clear that Damian would want them to sit down and have a meaningful negotiation with Miami. And I think that’s something that Joe and the Blazers will do.” pic.twitter.com/PEBcLXcgwH

— Aaron J. Fentress (@AaronJFentress) July 6, 2023

Portland is under no obligation — other than trying to do right by a long-standing member of the franchise — to trade Lillard where he wants to go. More than that, the Trail Blazers are starting a rebuild around Scoot Henderson and GM Joe Cronin has said he will do what is best for the team. Lillard is under contract for four more years at $216.2 million, making more than $63 million at age 36, and in that sense doesn’t have leverage like Bradley Beal (no trade clause) or James Harden (expiring contract).

What would happen if Lillard were traded to a place her didn’t want to go? Mark Medina of Sportsnaut asked someone close to Lillard exactly that.

“He just wouldn’t go,” a person familiar with Lillard’s thinking told Sportsnaut. “He just wouldn’t report.”

“I don’t think the other team would trade for him knowing that he doesn’t want to be there,” the person familiar with Lillard’s thinking told Sportsnaut. “He’s a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer so they should respect his wishes.”

Really? Lillard is going to leave more than $200 million on the table? Does he strike anyone as the kind of disruptor that Jimmy Butler was in Minnesota or James Harden was in Houston?

Lillard’s only recent comments were to be surprised by what is being said about his trade request.

I’m amazed.

— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) July 7, 2023

At how ppl could know so much and so little at the same time https://t.co/I2KwZc7IKa

— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) July 7, 2023

Expect the Lillard trade situation to drag out for a while longer, the sides appear nowhere close to a resolution.