A month after Damian Lillard requested a trade out of Portland, there remains no real traction on any kind of a deal, league sources tell The Athletic.
There remains no shift in Lillard’s mindset and his goal of playing for the Miami Heat in the wake of the league’s initiative to warn Lillard and his agent that any further comments made “suggesting Lillard will not fully perform the services called for under his player contract in the event of a trade” will be subject to discipline, according to sources. It was also a warning to other players and agents.
Lillard and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, assured the league that the All-Star point guard would “fully perform the services called for under his player contract in any trade scenario,” the league’s memo to all teams stated.
For the time being, however, a trade to Miami remains the scenario to watch for.
The Heat have been working on a trade package of expiring deals, three to four first-round picks and one of the team’s younger players, with Tyler Herro going to a third team. The deal could potentially also involve second-rounders and draft pick swaps, according to sources.
Lillard requested to be traded from the Trail Blazers to only the Heat on July 1. He has spent all 11 seasons of his career with Portland, which selected him with the No. 6 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The Trail Blazers finished 33-49 and 13th in the Western Conference last season.
Last week, The Athletic reported the NBA sent a memo to all 30 teams saying the league interviewed Lillard and Goodwin about Lillard’s stance that he only wants to play for the Heat.
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(Photo: Rob Gray / USA Today)
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