Damian Lillard would report to any team that traded for him but he wouldn’t be happy about it unless he’s dealt to the Heat, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.
Earlier on Monday, Shams Charania of The Athletic stated on “The Rally” that Lillard would only report to training camp as a member of the Trail Blazers or Heat.
Fentress’ sources told him that Lillard would show up and play for any team that acquired him, but his desire to play for the Heat wouldn’t change. That could discourage other potential suitors from giving up major assets for an unhappy perennial All-Star slated to make $45,640,084 during the upcoming season and $48,787,676 for the 2024/25 season, even before his two-year extension estimated at $121,774,03 kicks in.
Lillard, who requested a trade at the beginning of the free agency period in July, originally took a firm stance regarding where he’d report, Fentress adds. However, he backed off when the NBA sent out a memo to all teams in late July, which threatened punishment if he or his agent made further public comments regarding his desire to play for the Heat.
Lillard’s feelings about the Trail Blazers haven’t changed, either. If he’s not dealt before training camp, he’ll show up and play for Portland, but his desire to be dealt to Miami won’t wane. He doesn’t view the Blazers as a serious contender as currently constructed, Fentress adds.
Okay interesting. This could create a little traction for certain teams. Heard the Celtics sort of recruiting him? Maybe a three or four team trade involving the Sixers? This opens up some possibilities quite a bit.
I don’t really buy the C’s interest. Ideally of course they would win 70 games. However in a practical sense their isn’t a way to carry 3 Super max players.
If it is to C’s it’s only ever going to be a 3 team involving Brown. Which means they’d have to wait for him to become eligible before pulling the trigger. Then use a 3rd team like OKC/HOU/DET to offer mass of youth and picks for Brown.
Honestly I don’t think Dame elevates Celtics beyond what Brown can give them, he may be better offensive, but Brown is better defensive.
I also doubt the 76ers have anything to offer that is better than Miami offers(Maxey-Herro) whatever Philly offer either direct or via 3 team harden offload isn’t going to push the needle beyond a heat offer that’s clearly too low.
Brown can’t be traded for a year and the Cs are still interested. Tatum was recruiting Dame a few weeks ago
Are they going to trade Brogdon, White, Williams, and all of their available picks to get Lillard? That’s the only way they can outbid most teams. And that’s a big chunk of valuable assets for a guy in his thirties with his injury history. Plus the Blazers probably don’t want Brogdon or White, and would need to find trade partners for them too.
@slapnuts good catch, I missed that one. Safe to say Boston are out then. No other collection of players and picks meet the value of what Miami is offering let alone an offer they’d accept. And agreed, I doubt Portland would want a collection of “good” vets like the 3 mentioned. Or what C’s could get for them via a multi team.
I would say OKC make a splash but why would they when they already have SGA? Same goes for the Pacers with how high on Halli they are.
Just don’t seem to be a strong market for him. At least from teams that can offer assets. Maybe Memphis kill the Ja connection in a 3 team, or Pels with Zion or BI. Otherwise we’re looking at Dame going for well below his value.
Miami’s offering next to nothing, not even salary relief unless they can route Herro somewhere other than Portland.
True, but they are offering a 23 year old former 6th man who has the potential to take the next leap.
But for one of the best players in the league they don’t have enough. Remember Harden to nets, everyone said it was a steal and rockets got fleeced, but they offered a couple young talent in Allen and Lavert and their entire pick stash. Miami needs to at least match that.
Fentress is as plugged in as I am – so not at all. He has no connection to Lillard, never has – but he is trying to get Twitter/national clout off this. Please, please don’t use this reporter as a source. If it gets him on ESPN, great for him – but understand that’s exactly/all what he’s going for.
After 21 years with the Oregonian and 6 years at NBC Sports(admittedly covering mainly college football) I’d say he’s just a tad more plugged in than you.
You’re full of you-know-what. These guy is a beat reporter, and he knows Dame personally. This is the sort of report that almost certainly comes from the player himself, or his agent.
Brogdon, White, Walsh and picks for Lillard. Anthony Edwards and Conley for Lillard and a pick. Lowry, Jovic, Jaime Jaquez, Orlando Robinson, future considerations and 4 1st for Lillard. Tobias Harris Maxey and a 2nd for Lillard. Brunson, Hartenstien, Fournier and picks for Lillard. Or trade Simons, Nurkic and Little for a veteran SG, SF and C. Any of these ?
The Heat package requires another trade to get enough firsts, the Blazers don’t want more guards, and pretty much any trade requires at least three firsts to get Lillard. The Blazers would rather hold on to him for nothing otherwise.
I thought the Heat had enough picks plus pick swaps ( 4 total). Orlando and Hornets could be the third team.
No, it’s been stated that three straight-up firsts is the minimum they would consider. And neither of them makes much sense for the only tradeable asset the Heat have, Herro. His contract is too big for the minimal improvement he’d bring to their rosters, especially if they’re sending back first round picks.
Best thing to do is just buy him out. Let him go where he want. You can’t get nothing for him cause of his contract and age. So if you thinking team going to go in the hole like that over one player not their not
Dumb idea. Very dumb idea. “Just eat $150 million in dead money and lose arguably the best player in franchise history for literally nothing because the offers you’re getting aren’t good enough”. Talk about cutting off the nose to spite the face…
There is ZERO CHANCE MN trades Anthony Edwards, who has a solid chance to eventually be the face of the NBA, for an aging star
I agree but Minnesota might do anything. What about the other trades?
I’m not enough of a fan of the other teams to properly dissect these but that Knicks proposal has about as much of a chance of happening as Aaron Rodgers running out onto the field in Week 2 and doing flips like Ozzie Smith used to do.
Portland is so dumb. They should have traded them to the Heat before he changed his mind. Because then it looked like he wanted to just be there, but him saying he’ll go anywhere, makes it look like he just wants to get out of Portland. Portland is a trash city and organization, this is the nail in their coffin ain’t no one going there willingly after all this nonsense
Dame actually like portland. Not hard to fathom him staying and playing for them. The heat aren’t willing to go all in which is why the deal is stuck. No other team wants the fiasco and risk of such a lofty deal. Only about 5 teams even capable of they wanted to.
The best team positioned to make moves is utah jazz for him. They have had the cap or players and cap to make the move. Picks galore but it’s obvious the jazz are avoiding the fiasco. The nets are avoiding too.
So many teams have suffered from super dementia.
Just don’t see the heat pulling the trigger. Portland wants what the jazz for for spida. Just not going to happen!
Why many say take the two picks and some swaps from the heat and a young player like jovic. Not getting jaimes and jovic. Nope
The blazers will have even a harder time moving Dame as his contract escalates. Atleast Dame can play and is good. Ben hasn’t played worth squat. Maybe he decides to play this year lol
What? It’s worse that Portland can court more suitors now? That makes no sense.
Haha what? Portland ain’t courting nobody, wtf you talking about
“Portland ain’t courting nobody, wtf you talking about”
You are arguing that it is now worse for Portland that they can potentially trade him to teams other than the Heat. Darkside is saying that’s silly. Which it is. Heat’s offer was trash. Portland will just keep him and he will be back in the starting lineup on opening night.
How does Portland keeping Lillard help them?
Have to agree with Kurtis here. The Blazers could not be more obvious about how little they’re working to get a deal done. Honestly not a great way to introduce Scoot to your franchise by blatantly casting aside your only franchise player in over a decade.
OMG. Crazy conversation.
Why keep Lillard?… let me help you out. The team is worth +$2bn and he is the guy experts think can win a championship. So, having this guy around can either be 1) a chance at building a legit contender or 2) a great mentor for their young talent. Worst case scenario, the fans are going to tune in (ahem $$$) to watch Dame throw up 70 points.
I agree
With Kurtis
If Dame wants to go to Miami the only real option here is
1. Forgo 3 years on his contract and reduce salary for 1 year
2. If he gets traded elsewhere it’s only for 1 year not 4.
3. Blazers get a significantly less return cause it’s 1 year of Dame not 4 years.
4. Sign with heat after season.
Dame eventually winds up where he wants to go and sticks it to Blazers for not actually trying to compete all these years.
The Blazers refuse instantly and without thinking about it twice. They have to agree to eat that money. You aren’t allowed to just break a contract by saying “I don’t want to live up to it”. The only way that happens is if a player retires and the team negotiates not to pay it. Can’t do it to facilitate a trade.
Also, that would only change the salary paid by the receiving team, and not the length of the contract.
“You aren’t allowed to just break a contract by saying “I don’t want to live up to it”.”
And yet it happens. Weird
Break a contract, not request a trade to a different team while continuing to play. That’s not the same thing. There’s no exclusivity in NBA contracts.
Thats false.
As part of a trade Lillard can agree to a revised contract. Happens all the time in sports. Players can agree to a restructured contract as part of a trade.
It’s not breaking a contract. It’s agree to a new contract that supersedes the original contract.
It would require both sides to restructure the deal in order to make that happen. Something Dame has no incentive to do, at least not in any way that would change the complexion of the trade. And frankly, I don’t know that the Blazers do either. Right now, they have more leverage than Lillard.
And that’s not “breaking” the contract. Again, not the same thing being discussed here.
Dame has incentive. Leave Portland and wind up with the Heat sooner in this scenario.
Blazers don’t have incentive except for Dame getting injured and getting nothing for him. Ala Bradley Beal situation.
You are talking out your
You cannot do such things sorry bud
Larry sanders enters the chat
Damn you got me
You can. Players can agree to revised contracts as part of a trade agreement.
This would be illegal.
Well yes in that it’s not legal, but it’s also not a crime. Therefore the only punitive action to the player could come from suing the player. Now I’ve been saying, Portland is not a free agent destination and this whole situation is making it even worse. Now of they were to actually sue Lillard, you mind as well burn the franchise to the ground.
The Raptors need to pick a direction. And if that direction is to compete now, they have the best available offer for Lillard.
Scottie Barnes, Gradey Dick, and three firsts plus Otto Porter, Thad Young, and Chris Boucher for salary matching. The Blazers get a fantastic forward prospect, a plug-and-play shooter, and draft compensation. Plus two expiring contracts they can easily trade in salary matches to get seconds or acquire a young guy, and Boucher still has enough value to bring back some seconds or a young guy straight up.
The Raptors solve their shot creation problems instantly, and fill the void at PG for the foreseeable future.
Starting Lineup: Lillard/Gary Trent/OG/Siakam/Poeltl
A very good starting five and they can actually play Pascal as the #2 where he’s at his best. Trent is a better defender than any 2-guard Lillard has ever played with (low bar) while also being a good off-ball guy and tertiary creator. OG opens the floor and plays tough defense, and Poeltl can maximize his screen assists with a dynamic PG.
Bench: Schroeder/Temple/McDaniels/Achiuwa/Koloko
Weak bench. BUT if they’re all-in, they can easily add some of the better available guys still on the market. Terrance Ross, Cam Payne, Lamar Stevens, TJ Warren, Oubre if they need a scoring punch…
They can completely change the complexion of the East and put themselves in contention if they make this move. Risky? Heck yeah. Worth it? Maybe so.
You’re off you’re rocker if think the Raptors gonna trade Barnes
I don’t *expect* them to. But what they’re doing now isn’t going to work either. The Raptors are destined to be the same as the Chris Bosh version if they keep this up.
If they want to avoid being ass for the next decade, they have to pick a direction and go with it.
Raptors are actually doing things right. Barnes gonna be the next Giannis. They made themselves competitive enough where he and the rest of the young guys are getting developmental experience. At some point it will al click together.
What you’re saying about is something people were saying about Phoenix and Cleveland before they started to turn the corner. Trading for Dame is literally the worst thing they could
Barnes is a good player. But the rest of the roster is on short contracts. Poeltl is the only core player signed beyond this season, OG’s player option is sure to be declined and he’s likely to sign elsewhere because he’s expressed discontent with Toronto’s current setup (as in, trade me or get better, don’t screw around), and Trent and Siakam aren’t signed beyond this year. They’re at a pivotal point right now, and need to make a decision about whether they’re going to compete now and try to retain their roster or blow it up and build around Scottie Barnes as the focal point. If they’re going to compete now, they need to make a move.
Maybe Barnes for Lillard isn’t the move long-term (and that’s a fair discussion), but it’s better than standing pat pissing off other teams because they refuse to be reasonable in trade discussions, the way they have been for the last couple years. And if they’re going to blow it up, acquiring Poeltl for a first with minimal protections was a waste. That’s the difference between Cleveland and Phoenix, and them. They’re already at a crossroads. My Cavs and the Suns still had room to operate. The Raptors don’t. Not without sacrifices. They have minimal room to build, don’t have a midlevel anymore, and most of their tradeable assets are core pieces.
Do they have to trade Scottie? No. But they can’t stand around doing nothing like they have been for the past several years.
Lol Barnes the next G bwaaaaaaa aa
I have a feeling that was your reaction to someone saying Giannis was going to be a two time MVP after his second year in the league
Two trades. One to Portland for Lillard and the other to the clippers for Leonard. Sign some old heads. You have the best player in the world in Dennis. Raptors could do something even though I am not a raptors fan
Like all other “media” outlets that make a living stirring the pot out of boredom, Shams is a chump. Just like the bloated faces at the worldwide leader of sports innuendo.
These players have to hire PR teams to constantly refute lies. I get why they keep the media at arms length. Popular sports media is just a bunch of gossip girls dressed like little boys wearing basketball sneakers with their suits.
How do you know they are lies? Are you closer to being in the know than Shams?
Good. Now maybe a trade market for him can start to develop, and we’ll see what he’s worth. I don’t think it will be (or was ever going to be) a KD like haul, but there are teams with better trade pieces than MIA that should certainly be kicking the tires.
this article didn’t age well… Shams reported today Lillard let it slip he wouldn’t report to anyone but Miami or Portland
Shams’ report came first. This was a response to it.