After Damian Lillard’s trade request earlier this offseason, the basketball world has been abuzz with speculation about his future destination. As the dust settles, former Trail Blazers player and two-time NBA All-Star, Terry Porter, has stepped up to share his insights on Lillard’s decision.
Lillard, who has spent 11 years with the Trail Blazers, explicitly expressed his desire to be traded to the Miami Heat. His agent’s warning to other teams made it clear that Lillard’s heart was set on joining the Heat and no other team.
Appearing on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Terry Porter shared his insights into the implications of Lillard’s trade request. “The fans want to see Dame go somewhere where he can have a legitimate chance,” Porter commented, echoing the sentiments of many who wish to see the star point guard competing for championships.
Porter acknowledged the complexity of the situation for the Blazers, given Lillard’s status as a franchise player. He remarked, “The challenging part for the Blazers organization is trying to, you talk about a franchise player like Damian, what kind of value can you get back in order to try to put that franchise in a position to move forward in a positive light?”
As the discussion turned to potential landing spots, Porter expressed doubts about the Heat’s ability to offer satisfactory assets in return for Lillard. “I think it’s going to end up with Damian getting traded because that’s what he wants at this time,” Porter said. “I don’t know if Miami’s going to be a place he’s going to land because Miami, I don’t know if they have enough assets to return.”
However, Porter praised the basketball acumen of Miami’s leadership, stating, “But that being said, Pat Riley and Spo [Erik Spoelstra] – two of the most brilliant minds in basketball – I’m sure they’re trying to figure out who they can partner with that’ll provide some assets that the Blazers would be pleased with.”
