Damian Lillard’s trade request from the Portland Trail Blazers remains one of the biggest talking points of the summer.
While Lillard is still a member of the Trail Blazers, it’s evident that he wants to be out of there after serving loyally for 11 seasons.
If the Trail Blazers indeed trade away Lillard, they already have Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Many expected the Trail Blazers to trade their pick in order to get Lillard some help in hopes of winning a ring.
The rumor mill also suggested that’s one of the contributing factors to Lillard’s trade request, and the 33-year-old cleared the air about it on “It Is What It Is,” via ClutchPoints on Twitter.
“That wasn’t a dealbreaker for me at all. I respect his game. I think in that position, he was the best player available,” Lillard said.
"That wasn't a dealbreaker for me at all. I respect his game. I think in that position, he was the best player available… I wasn't offended at all."
Damian Lillard on if the Blazers drafting Scoot Henderson was a dealbreaker.pic.twitter.com/A3EikEmczC
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 19, 2023
Dame has been the cornerstone player for the Trail Blazers for more than a decade now,
He could have taken offense to the franchise going against his will to draft Henderson, regardless of his ceiling in the NBA.
Fortunately, Dame isn’t that petty, and he revealed Henderson’s selection didn’t play a role in his decision to leave the organization.
Speaking of Lillard, the Trail Blazers are yet to make any concrete progress in a potential trade with the Miami Heat, Lillard’s preferred destination.
The star averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game in the 2022-23 season.
No doubt Lillard’s trade value is at an all-time high in the market.
Keeping that in mind, the Trail Blazers will try to pursue the best deal available on the table rather than simply giving in to his demands.
NEXT: Damian Lillard Explains Why He Hasn't Used James Harden's Tactics
