Damian Lillard has spoken.
After a summer chock-full of trade rumors, veiled (and clear) messages from his agent and speculation about Lillard’s next steps, the Trail Blazers star has finally confirmed his trade request submitted to Portland: he wants to end up on the Miami Heat.
“I’m not going to speak on the Blazers,” Lillard told Andscape. “It’s a lot of love and respect, but I won’t speak on the Blazers… I can say that there was [a trade request to the Heat], and I would just prefer not to speak on the Trail Blazers.”
The Lillard saga began on July 1, when the seven-time All-Star told Portland he wanted to be traded and preferred to be sent to the Heat, but the drama surrounding his desired move only spiraled from there.
Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, began telling teams that the sharpshooting point guard would only play for the Miami Heat and might not suit up should he be traded to another squad.
Later in July, the NBA responded with a crackdown memo that warned Lillard and other players that such a singular trade request could prompt punishment from the league.
“We have advised Goodwin and Lillard that any future comments, made privately to teams or publicly, suggesting Lillard will not fully perform the services called for under his player contract in the event of a trade will subject Lillard to discipline by the NBA,” the memo reportedly said.
Though Lillard’s desired destination remains clear as day, the Blazers remain unconvinced by any trade offer the Heat may have proposed thus far, with a report surfacing in July that Portland wanted four first-round picks, two “quality” players and salary cap filler for their franchise player.
Lillard is coming off a remarkable season in which he averaged 32.2 points, 7.3 assists, and shot 37 percent from 3-point range.
The Heat made a surprising run to the Finals and lost in five games to the Nuggets.
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