Report: 'Six or Seven' Big-Market Teams Have Already Called About Damian Lillard
Changes, no matter how big or small, are coming for the Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard forecasted them following a season-ending Game 6 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, stressing that Portland falling to such a short-handed foe shows just how far away his team is from winning a title.
Lillard didn't make any demands of the front office, let alone suggest he was going back on his very public stance about finishing his career with the Blazers. But that didn't stop speculation about his future from running rampant – and apparently, teams already calling the powers that be about his availability.
Stephen A. Smith said on Friday's edition of First Take that "six or seven" teams have inquired about trading for Lillard since Portland's season ended on Thursday night.
Smith's agenda has been obvious for years: He wants Lillard playing for a big-market team. It comes as no surprise, then, that among the teams he claims have put in calls about Lillard are the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, LA Clippers and maybe the Los Angeles Lakers – "who knows what they might do?"
It's always wise to consider the venue Smith revealed his report: On television, where he and other talking heads spout whatever inflammatory nonsense about the NBA's marquee players they can dream up on a daily absis. As plugged in as he is with certain players, Smith's most headline-grabbing reporting and prognostications have rarely come to pass.
But the dawn of the offseason marks a new era for Portland. The status quo isn't working, as Lillard knows better than anyone. This Instagram post – including a caption from the late rapper Nipsey Hussle – doesn't exactly suggest he's thrilled at the prospect of continuing the same losing fight with the same cast of characters in Rip City.
There's no reason to believe that Lillard is going anywhere until he publicly raises the idea.
The Blazers certainly would never trade him without his approval, and not just because he's earned the status of a living franchise legend. Jody Allen is also looking to sell this team; trading Lillard before Portland is bought would no doubt significantly drive down the purchase price.
Don't completely ignore these murmurs in wake of another disappointing playoff exit for the Blazers, though. Change is afoot in Rip City. It's only natural that Lillard could reconsider his future if he doesn't like what it produces.