After requesting a trade nearly a week ago, Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard has made it clear that he only wants to play for the Miami Heat.
A source close to the 32-year-old said he "wouldn't go" and "wouldn't report" if the Blazers deal him to a team other than his South Beach preference.
Lillard hopes the franchise would accommodate his request out of respect for his contributions to the team and city.
The person also reiterated that the NBA 75 member is "not a disruptor" and that Lillard aims to honor his contract, which has four years left and would make him the first player to earn more than $60 million in a single season in 2026-27.
"I don't think the other team would trade for him knowing that he doesn't want to be there. He's a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer so they should respect his wishes," the source told Sportsnaut.
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Blazers not rushing Lillard trade
On the other hand, the Trail Blazers organization is taking its time before executing the potential blockbuster trade since Lillard will not be a free agent soon.
Team ownership plans to honor Lillard's request for a trade, but they want the deepest return possible. This could mean that Portland is looking for teams beyond the Miami Heat, which might be a problem.
Lillard's agent Aaron Goodwin has tried to call other prospective trade partners for Portland, warning them that "trading for Lillard is trading for an unhappy player," according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
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