Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard has been the talk of NBA trade rumors since requesting to be dealt following the 2023 NBA Draft earlier in the summer.
A lot has happened since then without the Blazers’ brass speaking publicly on the situation too much.
That changed on Monday as Blazers general manager Joe Cronin held a press conference from the site of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Cronin made sure to tell reporters that this process could play out for some time.
“I think what I’ve learned more than anything is patience is critical. Don’t be reactive. Don’t jump at things just to seemingly solve a problem. I think the teams that have ended up in the most positive situations post-trade have been the ones that have been really diligent in taking their time and not been impulsive, or the teams that really kept their urgency under control.
“So I think that’s how my approach has been with this and will be with this. We’re going to be patient; we’re going to do what’s best for our team. We’re going to see how this lands. And if it takes months, it takes months.”
Portland Trail Blazers GM Joe Cronin on Damian Lillard trade talks
Cronin also noted that he has not spoken to Lillard since the seven-time All-Star requested a trade back on July 1.
That could very well complicate things given that Lillard has made it clear through the media that he wants to be dealt to the Miami Heat. While a move to South Beach could very well still be in the cards, it’s all about the Blazers looking out for No. 1. And if it leads to Dame being put in a great position, that’s icing on the cake.
“What the rest of his career looks like matters to us, and we care about that,” Cronin said. “At the same time, we have to do what’s best for us and we’ve got to find the right deal and find the right makeup of the team that we’re going to go forward with.”
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Damian Lillard stats (2022-23): 32.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 7.3 APG, 46% shooting, 37% 3-point
As you can see, Lillard is among the top scorers in the game. He’s averaging 29.4 points since the start of the 2019-20 season and is viewed as a top option for contending teams.
In addition to the Miami Heat, Lillard has been linked to the likes of the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors in trade talks.
However, it appears that anyone looking to acquire the future Hall of Famer might have to do so on the Portland Trail Blazers’ timeline.