Damian Lillard‘s future with the Portland Trailblazers is on the line, but the chances of him being traded to the Miami Heat are getting closer. After being loyal to the franchise for the last 11 seasons, Lillard feels it is time to play elsewhere and try his shot at the biggest prize where he has better chances.
Amidst interests from all around the league, reportedly Dame has made up his mind to leave Blazers and team up with Jimmy Butler in Miami. A new report suggests Dame wanted to team up with none other than Stephen Curry before the free agency ruined his plan.
The potential Damian Lillard-Stephen Curry union ruined by one move
Before the NBA free agency opened up, rumors revolved around the possibility of Dame’s exit from the Blazers’ side. The 32-year-old star, last year signed a contract extension with Blazers worth $225M. However, after June 30, when teams started signing available players for their teams to strengthen their rosters, Damian Lillard announced his ‘Dame Time’ move, explicitly asking for being traded out. Beyond selecting Jaime Jaquez Jr. on the draft night, the Heat has looked silent this summer. Moreover, they lost their rotational guard, Gabe Vincent, who became a free agent, and the Los Angeles Lakers jumped on the chance to sign the star after his successful playoff campaign.
On the other hand, Golden State Warriors remained active on the first day of the free agency, moving pieces left and right. Warriors were on the lookout for a star player to team up with Curry. The Warriors traded for Paul on June 22, nine days before Blazers general manager Joe Cronin acknowledged Lillard’s trade request. There were rumors that Lillard might request a trade this offseason, and it happened one day after free agency started.
According to ESPN insider Ramona Shelburne, who appeared on the Bay Area radio show Willard and Dibs, if the Golden State Warriors hadn’t traded for Chris Paul, they had a chance to acquire Damian Lillard. Shelburne mentioned that Lillard, who is from the Bay Area, had expressed interest in playing for the Warriors.
If Lillard had requested a trade and provided a list of preferred teams, the Warriors would have been included. But his request was too late for the Dubs to even think about, as they had just given a 4-year $100M extension to the 4x champion Draymond Green.
Dame’s connection to the Dub nation
Lillard, who grew up in the East Bay and went to Oakland High School, has a contract for the next four years. He will earn $45.6 million in 2023-24, $48.8 million the next season, and about $58.5 million in 2025-26. He also has a player option for $63.2 million in 2026-27. By the time his contract ends, he will be 36 years old.
There is mutual respect between Lillard and Warriors’ guard Steph Curry. However, the Golden State front office prioritized maximizing the potential of their championship core, consisting of Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson. That’s why they made the quick move to acquire Chris Paul. However, signing Dame would have cost more than what they gave for Chris Paul.