In an effort to steer Damian Lillard to the Heat, agent Aaron Goodwin has been contacting other teams and warning them not to pursue a trade with the Trail Blazers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi. Several executives around the league told Wojnarowski that Goodwin is claiming Lillard won’t be happy if he gets dealt anywhere but Miami.
General managers have insisted to Woj that the tactic is fairly common and won’t impact their interest in a potential Lillard deal. He remains under contract, and the opinion throughout the league is that he’ll play equally well no matter where he winds up.
The two-year, maximum-salary extension that Lillard received last summer makes it more difficult for Portland to find value in return for its star guard, Wojnarowski adds. Although Lillard is under contract through 2026/27, his salary for that season will be more than $63MM, which a lot of teams don’t want to take onto their cap.
Some progress toward a Lillard deal could be made this week as executives gather for the Las Vegas Summer League, but Wojnarowski doesn’t expect a quick resolution. He suggests it may take most of the summer for Portland to find an acceptable offer and that Miami’s best chance could be for the process to drag on so long that other teams in the market for Lillard drop out of the bidding.
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Rayan Rupert‘s new contract with the Trail Blazers is fully guaranteed for two seasons and carries a team option for the third year, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The New Zealand Breakers star was selected with the 43rd overall pick.
- The Spurs or Cavaliers might have offered him more, but Naz Reid was happy to bypass free agency in favor of a three-year extension with the Timberwolves, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Reid was hoping to remain in Minnesota after spending his first four NBA seasons there. “I started my career here. I wanted to continue my career here,” Reid said. “I’ve gotten better each and every year here as well, so it only made sense. I didn’t want to go anywhere else and continue my journey, as far as I’ve gone. I’ve felt all my teammates and coaches and everybody has been great to me.”
- Collin Gillespie is eager to show the Nuggets what he can do after suffering a lower left leg fracture last summer, writes Ryan McFadden of The Denver Post. Gillespie received a two-way contract and remained on Denver’s roster even though he wasn’t able to play. “When I got injured, I was like ‘Man, this is not good,’” he said. “But it just tells you about the organization (and) what kind of people they are. It’s a special organization. I was extremely grateful that they stuck with me.”
#FreeTreMann… link to m.youtube.com
What a dumb agent. U literally just killed any leverage at all to get a deal done.
it’s a beautiful day. Why not choose positivity?
I agree. If I’m the Portland front office, I go to Dame and tell him straight to his face that we were trying to work on getting you to Miami but because of your agent warning teams not to deal with us, we’re now trading you for the best package regardless of where that is. I would also contact the agency Aaron Goodwin works for and let them know that we won’t be dealing with their agency in the future as long as he works there.
Trying to screw the team over as he walks out the door is Dame’s idea of being loyal?
He signed a contract. A tradable contract. If he didn’t want to be traded to the highest bidder, then he should have had some trade protection built into his contract. No sympathy.
I was a fan of his before all this, but now I kinda hope he gets hit by a bus.
If Cronin goes to Lillard and says straight to him that they were trying to work on getting him to Miami if I were Lillard I’d ask him “then who are you lying too?”
Cronin said to the medy that he would take the package that was best for the Trailblazers in a trade for Dame. Well now it’s back in Cronin’s face as Dame is doing what’s best for his team with his team being himself, his family and his friends.
Dame will give 100% to whatever team he plays for just like has to the Blazers for the last 11 seasons. He may not be happy about it but he’ll give his all, he’s just wired that way.
Dame has never been a free agent so he couldn’t put a NTC in his contract. He’s always had faith in the front office and just re-upped with an extension. You have to have played 8 seasons, 4 with the same team and negotiating a NEW contract with the team you just played the last 4 seasons with.
“Dame is doing what’s best for his team with his team being himself, his family, and friends. Dame will give 100% for whatever team he plays for…” ——- ♂️♂️♂️ ——
If he’s playing for himself, then he isn’t giving 100% for the team he is contracted to play for.
Lowry, Robinson, Jovic, Jaime and two first should be enough for disgruntled 33y old, often injured, supermax, no d, star.
I disagree. Because isn’t that what Lowery is? And those firsts will be backend of the draft. Jaime fits on Miami not a Blazer team without Dame. That seems like a great trade…if you’re a heat fan (and I have no horse in this race).
Sure seems like you want him even though he is a ” disgruntled 33y old, often injured, supermax, no d, star”
lol the way u describe Damian Lillard is weird to say the least. 1st & foremost he’s 1 of the very best basketball players on earth
So what exactly qualifies as often injured these days??? He played through a core muscle injury for 4 or 5 seasons before finally getting surgery. Now Zion on the other hand is often injured.
Zion been hurt how many times in his career, twice? None in hs, none in college until a freak thing with a shoe that he came back from after a couple games and dominated in the tournament. NOP held him out most of his rookie season even tho he was healthy. He dominated his 2nd season & he’s been hurt twice since
His summer league got cut short by injury, his rookie year he had meniscus problems that pushed back his debut until the end of January, and the end of his 20-21 campaign he sat out due to injury, so at least five times including the missed 21-22 season and the injury from this past season.
The summer league injury was extremely minor lol if it was a playoff game he wouldn’t even have come out the game. All of the rookie season stuff was more than anything preventative and NOP being overly cautious with him & sitting him when he was healthy enough to play & wanted to be playing
I don’t buy that they were sitting him when he was healthy, given that it was a meniscus injury. Either those heal, or they turn into tears. There’s no in-between. The summer league, fine, but he’s had injuries large enough for him to miss most/all of the season three times plus some lesser injuries. That’s enough for injury prone in my book.
“The summer league injury was extremely minor lol if it was a playoff game he wouldn’t even have come out the game”
Literally everything about his basketball career indicates the opposite of what you’re saying. Sometimes I think you’re trolling or just being contrarian because there’s no way someone who follows basketball could legitimately think that Zion isn’t injury prone. He’s played in 114 of a possible 328 games (34.7%) since coming into the league.
Exactly! This guy always wants to be the smartest guy in the room and for that he tries to prove the world wrong defending impossible takes
Lmao @ someone saying Zion isn’t injury prone. There’s no way you are actually saying that right Sankara? Do you even watch basketball?
Why would Dame do that to Portland? So he wants to be loyal then on his way out he wants to the franchise to sink on his way out?
I just don’t understand how he was so “loyal” and now it’s Miami or nowhere? Just feels weird to me.
Why would Portland do that to Trendon Watford? They spoke so highly of him for the past 2yrs & was so loyal to him giving him his own locker & his own jersey #. Then they waive him & it’s just “you don’t have to go home but you gotta get on outta here”. Does that feel weird too?
Dame and Portland are in cahoots. The heat interfered. Now they teasing much like the cheap Knicks interfering with spida. He got traded but not to the Knicks.
Sorry heat fans but no Dame. More like boston nets or jazz.
Dame did not have to resign with Portland. He could’ve asked to leave but didn’t because he wanted to win in Portland.
Once he resigned, Management constantly & publicly promised they would build a contender but they never did.
Did they at least try? Most teams (not all) yet but there is only one winner per year
Might have something to do with the way that they’ve repeatedly refused to go all-in for him for most of the last decade. He’s been the primary constant in the middle of a roster version of 52 pickup since 15-16. Loyalty goes two ways, the Blazers org hasn’t reciprocated his efforts to bring Portland a title.
I don’t really see this as any different from how KG did the Wolves after they spent his entire prime screwing him. He only decided he was willing to go to Boston after they added Ray Allen, Phoenix and the Lakers were his top choices. At least Dame wants to go to the other conference.
Such BS. Just because Portland didn’t win a title doesn’t mean they didn’t try. Also I’m pretty sure KG wanted no part of playing for the Lakers
Naz Reid
#BigJelly Jersey legend, somethin like Corrado Soprano… link to m.youtube.com
Zion is very injury prone not sure how that’s even a debate. I think if Portland traded dame last year they would get the haul they are looking for. Now co suffering the market just take why Miami has, flip herro for picks and move on. His contract matters In negotiations. There are probably 3 guys worth that much $ per season and Dame isn’t one of them.
Three guys worth what Lillard makes? Here’s 10 with more than what Dame makes.
1. LeBron James
2. Steph Curry
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
4. Nikola Jokić
5. Joel Embiid
6. Luka Dončić
7. Kevin Durant
8. Jimmy Butler
9. Damian Lillard
10. Jayson Tatum
Sonic he is unhappy does that mean he won’t play hard? This is what happens a sports league markets players in front of teams. Bunch of well paid prima donnas who have been spoon fed since they were 10 and would have zero chance of making it in the real world
If you think Lillard was “spoon fed” since he was 10 then you don’t know East Oakland.