The NBA issued a memo to all 30 teams on Friday regarding its stance on player trade requests in the wake of Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard’s well-publicized desire to land with the Heat.
As first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the NBA warned teams, players and the National Basketball Players Association about potential future consequences of making team-specific trade requests after announcing it had conducted interviews with Lillard, his agent Aaron Goodwin and teams Goodwin spoke to.
The memo stated all involved parties were found to be in good standing after the NBA looked into their actions following an early July report that Goodwin had been calling teams to warn them not to trade for Lillard as he pushed for a trade to Miami. Goodwin later acknowledged the report by confirming the 33-year-old wanted to only play for the Heat, though he did not directly dismiss the claims.
As of Friday, talks involving sending Lillard, who’s been with the Blazers for 11 seasons, to the Heat have not materialized in a deal. And, given the publicity generated by the reports, the NBA will likely keep a close watch as the seven-time All-Star’s trade request remains unfulfilled.
TNT’s Chris Haynes later released the NBA’s full memo on the Lillard situation, which stated he and other players could face discipline for “any future comments, made privately to teams or publicly” suggesting they “will not fully perform the services called for under his player contract in the event of a trade.”
The memo read as follows:
“Recent media reports stated that Damian Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, called multiple NBA teams to warn them against trading for Lillard because Lillard’s only desired trade destination is Miami. Goodwin also made public comments indicating that Lillard would not fully perform the services called for under his player contract if traded to another team.
“We interviewed Goodwin and Lillard and also spoke with several NBA teams to whom Goodwin spoke. Goodwin denied stating or indicating to any team that Lillard would refuse to play for them. Goodwin and Lillard affirmed to us that Lillard would fully perform the services called for under his player contract in any trade scenario. The relevant teams provided descriptions of their communications with Goodwin that were mostly, though not entirely, consistent with Goodwin’s statements to us.
“We have advised Goodwin and Lillard that any future comments, made privately to teams or publicly, suggesting Lillard will not fully perform the services called for under his player contract in the event of a trade will subject Lillard to discipline by the NBA. We also have advised the Players Association that any similar comments by players or their agents will be subject to discipline going forward.”
