It’s been a month since Damian Lillard asked to leave, but to this day he is still part of the Portland Trail Blazers squad. It looks like this All-Star defender won’t be able to leave Moda Center anytime soon.
Multiple reports have indicated that Lillard wants to go to Miami, and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, is doing everything to make it happen. However, the Trail Blazers have not entered into serious negotiations with the Heat, and general manager Joe Cronin has made it clear that it could take “months” to find the right deal.
To complicate matters, the NBA had a warning about Lillard’s case. The tournament organizers warned Lillard and the other players about asking to leave. The NBA will keep a close eye on moves from both Lillard and Goodwin going forward, as they could face fines if the NBA feels that Goodwin knowingly violated player transfer rules.
Specifically, Goodwin is said to have told other teams about his client’s intention to move to the Miami Heat, and said they did not need to make an offer for the Portland Trail Blazers. This violates NBA regulations, when teams have the freedom to negotiate based on what they think is best for the club.
Some people said, the case of Damian Lillard is similar to previous offers to leave Anthony Davis, Paul George or Kevin Durant. However, the case of this deal is completely different.
Compare the departure request between Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard
Contract term
Before getting into the specifics between requirements, it’s important to note that there are huge variations when it comes to the number of years left on each contract.
Lillard signed a two-year, $122 million contract extension with the Trail Blazers last summer. His current contract runs until at least the 2025/26 season and the defender has a $63.2 million player option for the 2026/27 season.
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Meanwhile, Davis told the Pelicans he has no plans to sign a five-year, $240 million supermax extension for the 2019 season. He is likely to enter the free market in 2020. , so New Orleans will lose Davis next year if it doesn’t trade him.
“Anthony wants to be honest and clear with his intentions and that’s why he informed the club of his decision to leave early so they could look for a partner to exchange players,” the club’s representative said. Davis, Rich Paul, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski at the time, “It’s in the best interests of both Anthony and the future of the team.”
How the agent reacted
Rich Paul later stated that Anthony Davis had a desire to leave the Pelicans and never said that his client only wanted to play in the Los Angeles Lakers. “He (Anthony Davis) was just looking for opportunities to win consistently and compete for championships,” according to Paul.
At the 2019 All-Star, Anthony Davis even hesitated when he said that the remaining 29 teams could be his next stop. This statement also clears up many rumors about some potential destinations such as the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knichs, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers, despite the fact that the Lakers are where Anthony Davis landed in the summer of 2019.
Meanwhile, Goodwin was not subtle in concealing Damian Lillard’s intentions. This agent told other clubs: “If they want to bring in Damian Lillard, they will have an unhappy player. Lillard just wants to play in the Miami Heat.” This information was also confirmed by Adrian Wojnarowski, a reputable journalist from ESPN.
NBA’s move
In its memo, the NBA explained that it interviewed Lillard and Goodwin and spoke with other teams Goodwin has contacted. While Lillard and Goodwin have repeatedly asserted that they have fully implemented the rules on transfer activities and the access and negotiation rights of clubs, in reality, they are in a weak position.
What scenario for Damian Lillard’s deal?
Anthony Davis has finally arrived at the Los Angeles Lakers, just months after Rich Paul said the player wants to leave the New Orleans Pelicans. During a press conference in July 2019, reporter Rachel Nichols asked Davis if he wanted to take a different direction.
“No. I still want to do it the way it was,” Davis said. “I’m a very outspoken and honest person. You know, I want to tell you what that is. I love the city of New Orleans, but from a professional and career standpoint, I feel it’s time to come out. Go”.
Anthony Davis won the first championship of his career with the Lakers during the 2019/20 season. He then signed a five-year contract extension worth $190 million.
As for Damian Lillard, fans still do not know the next stop of this player. However, this player’s desire to move to the Miami Heat is in danger of falling apart, as well as Lillard and Goodwin will need to be more careful in their subsequent words with partners in the transfer market.