Damian Lillard began the month of July doing what many people thought was long overdue: requesting a trade.
Lillard has been the Portland Trail Blazers franchise star since he was drafted in 2012.
Despite Lillard being touted as one of the league’s best players, the Trail Blazers haven’t seen the postseason success he’s seeking.
They have only been to the conference finals once in Lillard’s tenure, getting swept 4-0 in the 2018-2019 season by the Golden State Warriors.
With a potential trade looming, many around the league wonder when a deal will get done.
In a recent appearance on NBA Today, Ramona Shelburne addressed the current state of these conversations.
“Does it happen during the offseason, or do we wait until February when they have more team, more time?” asked Shelburne.
“Dame was so loyal. Wanted to put himself in a good position…Probably just waited too long—Question is does it happen during the offseason or do we wait until Feb when they have more teams, more time. He may even expand his list of teams he’d be willing to go to”@ramonashelburne pic.twitter.com/ckkhaxvo6E
— Dru (@dru_star) July 27, 2023
As pointed out on this program, the Trail Blazers GM, Joe Cronin, doesn’t appear to be in any rush to deal with Lillard.
Cronin said, “We’re going to be patient; we’re going to do what’s best for our team.”
Regardless of the Trail Blazers’ timeline, having an unhappy player on your roster is never good.
While they might not want to deal Lillard, it could be in their best interest, as they will likely get a massive haul for him.
Many have tied Lillard to the Miami Heat, a team that needs one more piece to compete with the best teams in the league.
While Lillard could be that piece for the Heat, it doesn’t look like he’ll be on the move soon.
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