Two new teams emerge in trade talks for NBA superstar Damian Lillard
A brand new pair of groups have entered the Damian Lillard saga.
The Bulls and Raptors are believed to have engaged the Trail Blazers in commerce talks for the celebrity level guard, in line with a report from Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.
The Heat, who’ve lengthy been Lillard’s most popular vacation spot, haven’t had current dialogue with the Blazers, per Fischer, however are anticipated to become involved earlier than a take care of one other crew is made.
Fischer additionally floated the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz as potential individuals in a three-team Lillard deal, together with a attainable commerce involving the Suns’ Deandre Ayton going to the Blazers and Portland’s Jusuf Nurkic going to Phoenix.
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It comes as NBA insider Marc Stein additionally reported that the Raptors “have convinced numerous teams around the league that their interest in trading for Lillard is genuine”.
“The uncertainty at this point stems more from gauging Toronto’s true willingness to push all the way forward with its Lillard pursuit when it’s believed that the All-Star guard, behind the scenes, remains so resistant to the idea of becoming a Raptor,” Stein wrote in his newest Substack.
As for the query of whether or not the Blazers want to strike a deal for Lillard earlier than Media Day arrives on October 2, Stein wrote that “the belief leaguewide is that they wouldn’t be talking to as many teams as they’ve talked to in recent days if they weren’t serious about wanting to get a deal done before the season starts anew”.
The rumours mark but extra episodes in what has been a months-long stalemate between the Trail Blazers and Lillard.
The seven-time All-Star and All-NBA participant formally requested a commerce from Portland on July 1 — the beginning of NBA free company — after years of stating his need to stick with the Trail Blazers, the one crew he has performed for over 11 NBA seasons.
But after years of playoff disappointments and lack of ability to construct a championship contender across the 33-year-old, and the organisation’s determination to make use of the No. 3 total choice within the 2023 NBA Draft on level guard Scoot Henderson fairly than commerce for a longtime participant, Lillard requested out.
Lillard confirmed final month that he submitted a commerce request to Portland and that he needs to go to Miami.
“I’m not going to speak on the Blazers,” Lillard instructed Andscape.
“It’s a lot of love and respect, but I won’t speak on the Blazers … I can say that there was [a trade request to the Heat], and I would just prefer not to speak on the Trail Blazers.”
Lillard is coming off among the finest seasons of his profession by which he averaged 32.2 factors and seven.3 assists per recreation whereas capturing 37.1 p.c from past the 3-point arc.
— With New York Post
