Damian Lillard put on blast by analyst over handling of possible Blazers trade
The back-and-forth chatter surrounding Damian Lillard potentially requesting a trade has gone on for multiple seasons now. For the bulk of the time, Lillard has remained steadfast in terms of his desire to remain with the Portland Trail Blazers, but in the past few seasons, that conversation has shifted slightly.
In the midst of the most rumor-heavy NBA offseason in relation to Lillard's potential availability via trade, the current outlook points to a very real chance that he might eventually request a fresh start. This stems from the moves the Blazers have made and the fact that. in the eyes of most, the team hasn't done enough to put themselves in a position to contend for a championship.
But while Lillard hasn't formally requested a trade and the rumblings of if/when it'll happen are at an all-time high, it appears some analysts and fans are growing a bit tired of the back-and-forth.
Recently, ESPN's Bobby Marks joined the "Five On The Floor" podcast with Ethan Skolnick and Greg Sylvander, where he got brutally honest while calling out Lillard (h/t NBA Central).
“I don't want to hear it anymore on these shows ... either the roster is good enough and you're content ... or go in there and ask to be traded. Like a lot of players have done. Jimmy [Butler] did it, and it worked out better for him. With Lillard, if it's not now, when is it?” Marks said.
While it remains to be seen if Lillard will indeed make the call and ask the Blazers to assist in finding him a new team, it seems the Miami Heat are not only hoping it happens but believe it could wind up being the case. In turn, Lillard has appeared to be their primary desire, even while attempting to acquire Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards.
As Turner Sports' Chris Haynes reported, Lillard is Miami's "focus" as the team has a "genuine belief" he could seek a new home.
The coming days ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft could be pivotal in sorting out what Lillard wants to do.
As ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on "Get Up" Tuesday, he believes the Blazers could "cause a bit of an issue" if they don't like what they're offered for the No. 3 pick and choose to use the pick to select a player.
“...Dame does not want a youth movement, he wants to play with veterans, he wants the team to upgrade fast and immediately with veteran players that can help him now… If the Blazers don't like what they're offered, and they use this pick on one of the young players, you're potentially causing a bit of an issue there with Dame, so keep an eye on that on Thursday night," Windhorst stated.
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