Damian Lillard remains with the Trail Blazers, two months after he requested a trade. If two NBA insiders are correct, he could be with the Blazers even longer as the 2023-24 season approaches.
ESPN insiders Zach Lowe and Bobby Marks sounded quite pessimistic about any imminent trade deal involving Lillard going to the Miami Heat, Lillard’s reported preferred destination. Lowe said he’s not aware of any recent trade discussions between the two teams.
“I’ve heard there’s been nothing,” Lowe said on his “Lowe Post” podcast. “I mean no meaningful dialogue at all. And more pointedly – I know Brian Windhorst said something about this while I was on break – I just don’t think there’s been another team. If there is, I don’t know about it.”
Marks said Lillard may have to make things “messy” in order to jump-start the apparently stalled talks. Marks added that he doesn’t think Lillard will do so at this time.
“I think the only way we hear more about Dame is if Dame makes it messy,” Marks said on the “Lowe Post” Podcast. “And I don’t think Damian Lillard, right now, is willing to make it messy in Portland.”
Apparently the Trail Blazers aren’t interested in the package Miami may be offering. According to reports, the Heat’s various offers centers on guard Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Nikola Jovic and draft picks.
The Trail Blazers reportedly want more for Lillard, a seven-time All-Star who is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. He averaged a career-high 32.2 points, along with 7.3 assists per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc last season.