The agent for Damian Lillard is advising teams other than Miami not to trade for his superstar client, warning that they’d be getting an unhappy player, ESPN reported Thursday.
The report comes amid Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin shopping Lillard for the best package of players and picks he can get. Cronin couldn’t care less about shipping Lillard to his preferred destination, the Heat, per the report.
That’s where Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, enters the picture. Goodwin is trying to scare off other suitors to grease the skids to a trade that gets Lillard to his team of choice, the Heat, per the report.
The Blazers announced Saturday that Lillard requested a trade.
Reports on Monday said the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers checked in with the Blazers to gauge the asking price for Lillard. The New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets were also connected to Lillard in previous reports.
ESPN reported that Utah, holding a bevy of picks and young players, also checked in with the Blazers.
Lillard, who turns 33 on July 15, has played his entire 11-year career with Portland, who drafted him with the No. 6 overall pick in 2012.
He averaged a franchise-record 32.2 points per game in 2022-23, the third-highest clip in the league, but Portland finished 33-49 and missed the playoffs for the second straight season.
Lillard is scheduled to earn $45.6 million for the 2023-24 season. He signed a four-year, $176.3 million deal in July 2022.
Named one of the NBA’s 75 greatest players of all time in 2021, Lillard won Rookie of the Year honors in 2012-13 and has made All-NBA teams seven times. He is Portland’s career leader in points (19,376) and 3-point field goals (2,387).
–Field Level Media