Arrr, the NBA be sendin' a message after the scurvy agent o' Damian Lillard be blabberin' about tradin' to the Heat!
2023-07-28
Avast ye! In a grand declaration, Damian Lillard's agent hath proclaimed to various ports that his client be desirous of joining the Heat next season. But beware, ye scallywags! The NBA be sendin' a dire warning to all ships in the league.
Earlier this month, the renowned NBA All-Star Damian Lillard made it clear that he wanted to part ways with the Portland Trail Blazers. He requested a trade, and reports suggest that the team is working to accommodate his wish. However, it seems that Lillard's representatives have been very specific about his desired destination, as they have reportedly stated that he only wants to play for the Miami Heat in the 2023-24 season.This posturing from Lillard and his team prompted the NBA to issue a memo to all 30 teams, warning that Lillard and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, could face discipline if they continued to exclusively target one team for a potential trade. The memo also stated that other players could face punishment if they engaged in similar behavior in the future.
The memo mentioned recent media reports indicating that Goodwin had called multiple NBA teams to deter them from trading for Lillard, highlighting his desire to only play for Miami. However, Goodwin denied making any statements suggesting that Lillard would refuse to play for any other team. The NBA conducted interviews with both Lillard and Goodwin, and while some teams' descriptions of their communications with Goodwin were consistent with his statements, others were not entirely.
The memo concluded by advising Lillard and Goodwin to refrain from making any remarks that would imply Lillard's refusal to fully perform under his player contract in the event of a trade. It warned that any future comments of that nature could result in disciplinary action for Lillard and potentially other players and their agents.
Currently, the Heat and the Trail Blazers have not reached a formal agreement on a trade for Lillard. Despite his desire to join Miami, Lillard still has multiple years remaining on his contract with the Blazers, which lacks a no-trade clause. The NBA already has rules in place regarding publicly issued trade requests, allowing players and their representatives to make such requests privately.
Lillard has spent his entire 11-year NBA career with the Trail Blazers, but it appears that he is now ready for a new chapter in his basketball journey.