Blazers Remain 'Unmotivated To Engage' With Heat On Damian Lillard Trade

[RealGM Wiretap]

The Portland Trail Blazers have remained "unmotivated to engage" with the Miami Heat on a Damian Lillard trade, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

This week, Joe Cronin said the Blazers are prepared for a Lillard trade to take months if necessary.

The market for Lillard beyond the Heat has yet to publicly materialize as other teams mentioned as candidates such as the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers lack the draft capital the Blazers are believed to covet.

Lillard added two additional years at $122 million during the 2022 offseason.

Via Barry Jackson/Miami Herald

[balla4lyf23]

at this point Lillard is doing this to himself. miss me with this "loyalty" bull, hes gonna lose fans at some point by being so hard-headed. used to like the guy a lot (it was hard not to)

[Knick4Real]

Dame spent YEARS talking about "loyalty" while wasting away the best years of his career on a team that wasn't going anywhere. He could have asked out YEARS ago and worked with the team to make it happen under happier circumstances. Now, this is all about to get very ugly and Dame is going to suffer.

Portland has him under contract and can just sit on him. They don't HAVE to do anything. I'm interested to see how this all plays out.

[The Laker Kid]

It's in Portland's best interest to get this done ASAP because they might be scaring other superstars the way they're treating Dame Dolla. That said, let's do DeAngelo Russel for Lillard straight up.

[dougthonus]

No reason to feel morally one way or the other about the Blazes or Dame. I'm sure both sides will use whatever leverage they can to get what they want.

[Eagle4]

at this point Lillard is doing this to himself. miss me with this "loyalty" bull, hes gonna lose fans at some point by being so hard-headed. used to like the guy a lot (it was hard not to)

yh he's so bad because he wants to only go to Miami. Please.

[Elnegron]

Dame spent YEARS talking about "loyalty" while wasting away the best years of his career on a team that wasn't going anywhere. He could have asked out YEARS ago and worked with the team to make it happen under happier circumstances. Now, this is all about to get very ugly and Dame is going to suffer.

Portland has him under contract and can just sit on him. They don't HAVE to do anything. I'm interested to see how this all plays out.

And stunt scoot development while making a **** on locker room? Lol dude Cronin just on the saving face stage. He has nowhere to go and knows dame is ending up in miami whether is now, tomorrow or September

[monopoman]

Dame spent YEARS talking about "loyalty" while wasting away the best years of his career on a team that wasn't going anywhere. He could have asked out YEARS ago and worked with the team to make it happen under happier circumstances. Now, this is all about to get very ugly and Dame is going to suffer.

Portland has him under contract and can just sit on him. They don't HAVE to do anything. I'm interested to see how this all plays out.

It appears that Miami is also trying to use the situation to their advantage since Dame is so adamant about Miami as the only team. They better hope that Dame is not willing to expand his number of teams, even 1-2 more teams being in the mix could create a far more competitive situation on who gets him.

I can see why Portland is not motivated to trade him to a team that is not even putting up a good number of their most intriguing players. Even if we leave them with Bam+Butler in a Dame trade, they still are leaving their young guys with potential, out of the proposed trades I have seen.

[luciano-davidwesley]

Dame spent YEARS talking about "loyalty" while wasting away the best years of his career on a team that wasn't going anywhere. He could have asked out YEARS ago and worked with the team to make it happen under happier circumstances. Now, this is all about to get very ugly and Dame is going to suffer.

Portland has him under contract and can just sit on him. They don't HAVE to do anything. I'm interested to see how this all plays out.

And stunt scoot development while making a **** on locker room? Lol dude Cronin just on the saving face stage. He has nowhere to go and knows dame is ending up in miami whether is now, tomorrow or September

Please again explain how Dame can possibly stunt Scoot's development lol.

Death stare him at practice?

[NoStatsGuy]

Cronin about to be played by riley. Oh noe this is a really bad look for the blazers

[haste10176]

Dame spent YEARS talking about "loyalty" while wasting away the best years of his career on a team that wasn't going anywhere. He could have asked out YEARS ago and worked with the team to make it happen under happier circumstances. Now, this is all about to get very ugly and Dame is going to suffer.

Portland has him under contract and can just sit on him. They don't HAVE to do anything. I'm interested to see how this all plays out.

It appears that Miami is also trying to use the situation to their advantage since Dame is so adamant about Miami as the only team. They better hope that Dame is not willing to expand his number of teams, even 1-2 more teams being in the mix could create a far more competitive situation on who gets him.

I can see why Portland is not motivated to trade him to a team that is not even putting up a good number of their most intriguing players. Even if we leave them with Bam+Butler in a Dame trade, they still are leaving their young guys with potential, out of the proposed trades I have seen.

If they wait to mid season some teams may become interested in going for dame depending on their situation regardless if he says miami or nothing.. Dame though can go to Maimi and they still wont win and Dame will have done all this for nothing.. Dame talked about loyatly but when trying to give the team some options to get good trade value he didnt also he talked about not wanting a super team well bam butler dame is one I just dont think its a good enough one.. Dame Giannis Holiday that works.. Dame Embiid Harris thats intersting.. Dame Lebron AD also works though lakers as short on assests as the heat.. Id rank Bucks Lakers Heat 76ers in that order as his best chance at a ring..

[MadDogSHWA]

If I'm an NBA superstar I want to sign with teams that have competent management. Allowing Dame to extort you into getting 5 cents on the dollar is not good management.

[RipCityKJ]

Cronin about to be played by riley. Oh noe this is a really bad look for the blazers

Lol why hasn’t he then? The blazers have all the leverage in two words: yes and no. Riley can try one over on the blazers which he’s obviously already done and failed but the Blazers have an asking price and it’s up to Riley to pay it or move on. Dame loves to be valued, Riley playing games with the Blazers is showing how little he really values Dame.

[NoStatsGuy]

Cronin about to be played by riley. Oh noe this is a really bad look for the blazers

Lol why hasn’t he then? The blazers have all the leverage in two words: yes and no. Riley can try one over on the blazers which he’s obviously already done and failed but the Blazers have an asking price and it’s up to Riley to pay it or move on. Dame loves to be valued, Riley playing games with the Blazers is showing how little he really values Dame.

riley is doing whats best for his franchise and the blazers dont. simple as that. it really doesnt matter who values dame more and how.

The blazers will trade dame to the heat eventually and riley knows it. they cant trade dame to random places. that would ruin every glimmer of hope to ever sign someone or agree to a trade to you and would just create a really bad rep around players and agents.