Perhaps the biggest question regarding the NBA offseason at this stage is whether the Portland Trail Blazers will trade Damian Lillard this summer. For now, they appear to be giving interested teams a very firm answer.
In an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said that plenty of teams, particularly the Miami Heat, are extremely interested in trading for Lillard. However, the Blazers have been rejecting any overtures for the time being.
"Miami is very anxiously waiting to see what happens in Portland..
As of right now the Blazers have shut down anybody who has called for Damian Lillard"@wojespn #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/5hhZZPniDB
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 21, 2023
“I think Miami, they’re going to be very anxious to watch what happens in Portland to see if there’s any point this summer where Damian Lillard becomes available,” Wojnarowski said. “He’s not available now. He says he wants to be in Portland, and the Blazers have shut down anybody who’s called about the possibility of trying to trade for him.”
Lillard has so far refused to push for a way out of Portland, but he also wants the team to build a contender around him. He may not be able to have it both ways in the short-term, but until his stance changes, the Blazers clearly have no intention of even listening to overtures from other franchises.
