In a surprising turn of events this offseason, Damian Lillard, a longtime Portland Trail Blazer, made a trade request that sent shockwaves through the NBA.
The 33-year-old star guard was explicit about his desire to be traded to the Miami Heat, seeking a change of scenery after 11 years in Portland.
However, after a two-month period filled with speculation and negotiations, Lillard’s destination turned out to be the Milwaukee Bucks, not Miami, leaving many fans and experts surprised by the outcome.
Lillard recently opened up about his trade request and the subsequent trade during an interview on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
“I don’t think it was a secret that Miami is where I wanted to go when I asked for a trade,” he said. “When this conversation started, it was like ‘We’re not going to be able to build this team out. We’ll help you get to where you want to go’. And that was where I wanted to go.”
