Damian Lillard, the former face of the Trail Blazers, sought to rescind his trade request to the Heat after trade talks between Portland and Miami hit a standstill.
Lillard’s desire to return to the Trail Blazers was met with resistance from the team’s general manager, Joe Cronin, who made it abundantly clear that there was no going back for the superstar, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
Ultimately, the Trail Blazers traded Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, ending his era in Portland.
The unexpected twist in this saga came after Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, suggested a meeting between his client and Cronin to repair their relationship.
The meeting took place on September 5 at Lillard’s residence, marking their first conversation in quite some time.
During the hour-long discussion, Lillard expressed his disappointment with how his situation had been handled and his unwavering commitment to the Blazers over the years.
He also questioned why there had been no dialogue with the Miami Heat and expressed his reluctance to be sent somewhere against his wishes.
In response to Lillard’s offer to rescind his trade request and stay with the Trail Blazers if a deal with the Heat couldn’t be reached, Cronin’s stance was firm—there was no turning back.
Lillard was reportedly shocked by this response but maintained that he didn’t want to be where he wasn’t wanted.
Despite his hope for a trade to the Heat, Lillard had to confront the possibility of not being moved. As a result, he began working out at the Trail Blazers’ practice facility on September 11, showing up for eight days. However, he claimed that Cronin did not speak to him during this time.
Lillard explained his presence at the facility, stating that he wasn’t confident he would be traded, and he wanted to be part of the team activities.
Nevertheless, he made it clear that he wouldn’t go out of his way to speak to Cronin after realizing the general manager’s lack of communication.
“I was just trying to get acclimated and everyone was happy to see me. Every single person except Joe. He never spoke to me. And when I noticed that, I made up in my mind that I’m not going out my way to speak to him,” Lillard told Haynes.
