“I’m Not Going To Speak On The Blazers” – Damian Lillard Affirms Trade Request But Refuses To Talk

By STEVEN VAUGHAN, 750 THE GAME

It’s been almost two months since Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. Yet, Lillard is still on the Blazers roster.

There is some speculation that Lillard could be on the Blazers roster come training camp. Which would messy things up even more for the Blazers. The thought on a lot of Blazers fans minds are. What does Damian Lillard have to say about all of this?

Damian Lillard made his first public comments regarding the trade request when he was interviewed by ESPN’s Marc Spears.

Lillard was asked what was the point when he knew he had to ask for a trade.

“I’m not going to speak on the Blazers,” Lillard told Spears. “It’s a lot of love and respect, but I won’t speak on the Blazers.”

Later in the interview. Spears asked Dame if he did in fact request a trade to the Miami Heat.

“I can say that there was (a trade request), and I would just prefer not to speak on the Trail Blazers,” Lillard answered.

Clearly, Dame wasn’t in the mood to say much, but he did speak about the trade publicly for the first time.

In case there was any hope that Lillard didn’t actually want a trade or that he may have a change of heart, it seems that Lillard does indeed want out of Portland.

For Lillard’s trade value, nothing changes in my mind. Even though he has made it clear that he wants to go to the Heat, it doesn’t mean Joe Cronin has to send him there.

This isn’t a trade that you hurry up and make. The Blazers need to get as much value back as possible. Lillard tried to pull a leverage move, but with four years left on his contract, he doesn’t have the leverage. The Blazers do.

Read the full Spears’ piece on Dame and his Formula Zero camp, here.

Damian Lillard: “I won’t speak on the Blazers.”pic.twitter.com/5s1Ih5ZSDM

— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) August 24, 2023

@steven_von