Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

NBA insider says this superstar will be traded before training camp

By Ethan Scott | Last updated 8/31/23

As the Damian Lillard-Portland Trail Blazers saga continues with little progress seemingly made, NBA insider Marc Spears still predicts (via The Oregonian) that Lillard will be traded to the Miami Heat before training camp starts.

Training camp for the Heat begins Sept. 27 in the Bahamas.

"This isn't like James Harden where you're lighting fires everywhere you go," Spears said, adding, "Damian Lillard is beloved."

The Heat and Trail Blazers have been involved in a back-and-forth since Lillard requested a trade from Portland on July 1.

Portland isn't interested in a Miami package centered on 23-year-old Tyler Hero, as first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski who said, "[Portland is] already built around young guards... Their focus is elsewhere."

"Portland doesn’t have interest in bringing in Tyler Herro. [Trail Blazers are] already built around young guards... Their focus is elsewhere on getting maximum value for [Damian Lillard]."

—@wojespn

(via @SportsCenter)pic.twitter.com/P94QmyrMq7
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 4, 2023

However, there doesn't look to be an "elsewhere."

It's only Miami.

"For the Blazers, you're certainly in a tough position because it's only one team," Spears said. "But the NBA at large respects him [Lillard] so much nobody is going to test that. They're going to basically give him what he wants."

Jayson Tatum had no success recruiting Damian Lillard to Boston, per @MarcJSpears

“I know Jason Tatum’s called him. Tried to get in his ear. But his focus is definitely on Miami.”

(Via @Oregonian / h/t @dru_star ) pic.twitter.com/4Eng7KmlIf
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 31, 2023

Spears is one of the more trustworthy sources in the NBA. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2023 and received the Curt Gowdy Award.

The NBA schedule-makers clearly expect Lillard to be traded to Miami. Portland is slotted for only one nationally televised game, at home against the Heat.

Bottom line: Expect a deal to get done sooner rather than later.

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