The Portland Trail Blazers reportedly will look beyond just the Miami Heat as a trade candidate for Damian Lillard after the star point guard requested to be moved on Saturday. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the team wants a "Star-Level Return" for their top player. While Lillard has his eyes set on the Miami Heat, the Trail Blazers will also apparently look for whichever team can supply the best return.
Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin broke his silence on the trade request, Saturday afternoon. “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. 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," he said, according to Wojnarowski.
Damian Lillard Wants Out Of Portland
When asked to choose which team would make him say "that’s not too bad" of the Knicks, Heat, Celtics, and Nets Lillard confidently went with the Heat while recently appearing on The Last Stand podcast with Showtime’s Brian Custer. “Miami obviously,” Lillard said at the time. “Miami is the obvious one. And Bam [Adebayo] is my dog. Bam is my dog for real. Miami is the obvious one. Brooklyn is another obvious one, because Mikal Bridges is my dog too.” Likely pieces that the Heat could offer include Tyler Herro, various draft picks, and more.
Lillard's contract positions him to earn $45.6 million, $48.8 million, and $58.5 million over the next three seasons. He also has a $63.2 million player option in the 2026-27 season. Be on the lookout to see which team ends up landing Damian Lillard in the coming weeks.
[Via]