Some around the NBA believe that the player empowerment era has officially gone too far. We’ve reached a point where Damian Lillard has handpicked his trade destination, stating that he only wants to play for the Miami Heat.
Lillard has done more than enough for his team to be granted his wish. But from a business standpoint, there’s no reason why they should take a lesser offer just to do right by him.
That’s why NBA analyst Jason McIntyre believes there’s a big chance that Lillard will have to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers, citing that he’s being sort of punished for his loyalty.
Blazers Have No Need To Trade Damian Lillard
“He hung around too long there’s no other way around it,” McIntyre said on The Herd. “Lillard is essentially stuck in Portland now. He’s stuck in Portland because there is no trade for him.”
“He’s turning 33 this summer; he’s still a very good player,” McIntyre added. “He was just too loyal to Portland– you look at last year that they could’ve gotten for Dame Lillard and the haul would have been massive. I will point folks to what the Utah Jazz got for Donovan Mitchell.”
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The Blazers have no need to take a penny on the dollar for him, and there’s no actual need to rush a deal. So, the Heat will either have to find a way to meet their asking price, or Lillard might have no choice but to stay.
