Report: Damian Lillard has requested a trade

The day that Blazers fans have been dreading has finally come. Damian Lillard has requested a trade. Before the start of free agency, Lillard was set to give the Blazers an undetermined amount of time before asking out.

According to @ramonashelburne, Damian Lillard has requested a trade and the Portland Trail Blazers are expected to work with him.

— Dacota Haynes (@TheDacotaHaynes) July 1, 2023

Where did things go wrong?

The Trail Blazers may have more than likely reached their peak in 2019. A roster that made the Western Conference Finals and lost double-digit leads to the Warriors in all four games. Probably should have given Lillard another star after that season, but again the Blazers failed to do so. A common occurrence during his time in Portland. Sure, he had C.J. McCollum but he has never made it to an All-Star game and isn’t a star in the league. The pairing had been through everything together from McCollum’s rookie season to multiple rebuilds and the WCF run in 2019. The Blazers then traded McCollum last season as they attempted to rebuild once again. After the 2022-23 season, Lillard had stated that he wouldn’t want to be part of another rebuild.

The Trail Blazers did not get him sufficient help since the end of the season. They had the No. 3 overall pick and drafted Scoot Henderson. There was reports about the Big Three that Lillard wanted being Jerami Grant, Draymond Green and himself. The Blazers re-signed Grant but Draymond re-signed with the Warriors.

Landing Spots:

Since the end of the season, rumors have swirled Damian Lillard requesting a trade. The Miami Heat have been at the top of that list since. They’ve also been one of the busiest teams on day one of Free Agency.

As of now, the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers are reported to have interest. Though, the Blazers are expected to look for the best deal that provide them with young players and draft assets.

Read the latest sports news via Fantom Sports Industries. Follow us on Twitter @Fantom_sports. Like us on Facebook Fantom Sports Industries. Subscribe to our YouTube channel Fantom Sports. Subscribe to our Newsletter! Shop Fantom Sports Industries Merch.

Invest in your favorite athletes like stocks with “Prediction Strike!” Use code FANTOM when you sign up.