Lillard memo reveals NBA's inability to stop tampering

Lillard requested a trade specifically to the Miami Heat one day after free agency began. What the NBA seemingly took issue with was his agent, Aaron Goodwin, who allegedly told teams other than Miami that they would be "trading for an unhappy player."

While Goodwin "denied stating or indicating to any team that Lillard would refuse to play for them," that doesn't mesh with what he told the Miami Herald earlier this month.

The NBA memo promises that if Lillard or Goodwin make further comments about Lillard's theoretical refusal to play after a trade, it "subject Lillard to discipline by the NBA." But that's it.

Sure, the league has warned Lillard and his agent, but they no longer have to tell teams that Lillard prefers the Miami Heat: Goodwin has already made it clear. And while they've both pinky-promised NBA commissioner Adam Silver that Lillard will try his best for any team he's on, the other teams already know he wants to go to Miami.

But the NBA didn't assess any punishment for what Goodwin already did. And the memo doesn't forbid players from privately requesting a trade to a specific team — public trade demands are forbidden by the CBA — it only warned players and agents about explicitly saying they wouldn't play.

Portland general manager Joe Cronin has said he's willing to wait for the best return in a trade for Lillard, who is signed through 2025-26, with a $63 million player option for 2026-27. "If it takes months, it takes months," he told reporters.

In theory, this gives Portland more leverage. In reality? Teams other than Miami are making the same gamble they were in trading for Lillard before this memo. Goodwin crossed the line in his threats to teams, but everyone already heard the threats.

That's an issue with Silver's enforcement. He's simply limited in the disciplinary tools at his disposal. All he can really do is fine Lillard. Which is subject to appeal. And if he suspends Lillard, that's exactly the threat Goodwin was making: Lillard sitting out.

Silver has limits. He fined former Suns owner Robert Sarver $10 million, but Sarver wasn't forced to sell until his sponsors started bailing out. And then he more than covered the fine when he sold the team for $4 billion — ten times what he paid. The NBA took away a Knicks second-round pick for tampering with free agent Jalen Brunson, but the Knicks would give that up to get a 24 points-per-game scorer any time.

Lillard was never going to hold out anyway, whether he was a Blazer or on some other team. But even after this memo, he's still likely to eventually end up in South Beach. He just won't be talking about it anymore.