Damian Lillard Finally Requests To Be Traded Out Of Portland

After years of flirting with the idea, Damian Lillard has finally done it.

The Heat, Clippers and 76ers are three teams that will have interest in exploring trades for Lillard, sources tell ESPN. The Blazers are expected to value deals that would bring them back young players and draft assets. https://t.co/5KM6EF4RRT

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2023?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> He requested a trade from the Portland Trailblazers. After spending 11 seasons with Portland, the 32-year-old wants out so he can have a chance to compete. He said early in the off-season that he wanted the Trailblazers to build a team around him. But after they used the 3rd overall pick instead of trading it for another star, and being mostly quiet in Free Agency outside of acquiring Jerami Grant, Dame has had enough.

The caveat, that Sixers fans won’t love, is that he is targeting a trade to Miami. He suggested as much in an interview about a month back, saying Bam Adebayo was his guy and that he would like to play in Miami. But seeing it being actually reported that Miami is his desired destination is a bit of a letdown.

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Does that mean the Sixers have no shot? Not exactly. In terms of assets a team could offer Portland, Tyrese Maxey is the best anyone could do. The Heat and Clippers don’t have a rising star like Maxey they could throw into the deal. Nor do the Nets unless they are willing to part with Mikal Bridges. If the Sixers are willing to part with Maxey, they can put together the best package even without having many tradeable draft picks. Plus they do have James Harden to trade, and they could flip him for more assets to add to a potential deal for Damian Lillard.

That won’t matter though if Damian Lillard says he will only go to Miami. While reports are Dame wants to go to Miami, no one has reported yet that he would not accept a trade to another competitive team. As Woj reported above, the Sixers are at least in the mix.

But given how the Heat have been shedding cap space so far this offseason, by letting Gabe Vincent walk and trading Max Strus, it seems the cogs may already be in motion to have Dame land in Miami. While Tyler Herro is not Tyrese Maxey, he is still a young talented player. And if Portland has no choice but to work with Miami, he would have to be enough as the big piece of a deal for Dame.

We will see what happens. It seems like it is a long shot that the Sixers could land him. But the reporting does not suggest that they have no chance, just that Miami is the favorite.