NBA superstar Damian Lillard has sensationally requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Lillard has been linked with a move from the Trail Blazers for years, as the perennial All-Star decided to stay with the franchise in order to achieve success with the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2012. The Miami Heat - who fell in the 2023 NBA Finals to the Denver Nuggets - and the Brooklyn Nets are the leading contenders for Lillard, according to TNT's Chris Haynes.
The 32-year-old has led the team to the postseason on eight occasions throughout his career, advancing to the Western Conference Finals in 2019 before being dispatched by the Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Lillard has seven All-NBA nominations to his name but has not won a championship, which has fuelled the rumours surrounding a potential exit from Portland.
On Saturday, Lillard officially requested a trade from the Trail Blazers. The superstar guard will not be short of options if the Trail Blazers grant his wish, and is unlikely to be moved for anything less than a huge haul of players or picks.
Lillard has been one of the game's most prolific scorers and he enjoyed the most prolific campaign of his career last season. His 32.2 points per game on 64.5 percent true-shooting were both career highs, and he added 7.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 36.3 minutes a night as the Trail Blazers finished with a 33-49 record.
The Heat have been linked with Lillard for some time, largely due to the guard's friendship with Bam Adebayo and reported desire to team up with Jimmy Butler to continue his career in Miami. The franchise have reached the NBA Finals on two occasions in the last four years, falling to the Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
Heat officials clearly believe Lillard is the missing piece to help the team finally win a first championship since the LeBron James era, but it is unclear whether Portland will facilitate Lillard's wishes when considering offers. The Nets are also interested following their haul received for Kevin Durant, while the LA Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly set to explore a potential trade.
It's easy to see why Lillard is a sought-after commodity. He is a proven star in the playoffs, averaging 34.3 in his most recent series while he has twice eliminated teams with dramatic buzzer-beater shots. However, he has not played with an All-Star since LaMarcus Aldridge in 2015 - and he is ready to compete for a title.
Lillard's commitment to the Blazers has been questioned each year since their first-round playoff exit in 2020 - and he has continued to reaffirm his loyalty, even after front office and staff changes. He even remained steadfast in his loyalty following the trade of his fellow guard CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans in February 2022.
Something to be noted for potential suitors: his health. Lillard has missed 77 total games - double the amount he missed previously - in the last two seasons, leading to Portland to fail to make the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since drafting him. Lillard missed the final 47 games of the 2021-22 season with an abdominal injury that required surgery while he sat the final 10 games of last season with a calf strain.
