The Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has reportedly requested a trade, and according to sources who spoke with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, the organisation is expected to work to satisfy Lillard's request.
According to sources who spoke with ESPN, the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Philadelphia 76ers are the three teams that will have interest in exploring deals for Lillard.
A source has revealed to Marc J. Spears of Andscape that Damian Lillard would prefer to be moved to the Miami Heat.
Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard requests trade
It is anticipated that the Blazers will place a high importance on trades that will bring them young players and draught assets in return.
When Lillard met with the Trail Blazers and general manager Joe Cronin on Monday, he considered asking for a trade. However, he wanted to give them every opportunity to enhance the club when free agency started, so he remained as quiet and supportive as he could this week. Sources say he did this because he wanted to give them every opportunity to improve the squad. The decision to request a move was made by him late last night.
Lillard has remained loyal to the team that selected him with the sixth overall choice in the NBA lottery in 2012, even though the Portland Trail Blazers have missed the postseason the past two years in a row after having made it the previous eight years in a row.
The Blazers' decision to select guard Scoot Henderson with the third overall pick in the draught held a month ago made it very obvious what they intend to do with their team in the years to come.
Should Lillard decide to depart Portland, it will be after 11 seasons, during which he has been named to seven All-Star and All-NBA teams, and he has guided the Trail Blazers to an appearance in the Western Conference finals in the 2018-19 season. He holds the all-time record for points scored and three-pointers made for the Blazers, and he is second in assists.
Lillard, who will turn 33 on July 15, had a career year in terms of scoring and assists the previous year, averaging 32.2 points and 7.3 assists, but he only appeared in 58 games since he missed the last month of the season. Lillard's career best performance came on February 26 against the Houston Rockets, when he scored 71 points in a game. This performance was the high point of his season.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, if he were to switch teams the following year, his points per game would be the most of any player who switched teams.
Credit: ESPN
