Should The Blazers Do Dame A Favor?

Just one day after the NBA free agency opened up, future Hall of Fame guard Damian Lillard officially requested a trade from his longtime home of Portland. Lillard has been the staple of loyal superstars to small market teams for many years, but enough was enough. It was first reported that the Brooklyn Nets and the Miami Heat were his top destinations. In a matter of minutes, it became Miami or bust for Lillard. This statement has left people wondering; do the Trailblazers do Lillard a favor and send him to his preferred destination despite the weaker package or go after the star package they are capable of getting?

Option one: Do Dame right

Lillard is the all-time leading scorer in Trailblazers history. Photo Credit: Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Lillard gave the Blazers many years to put together a roster that would result in a championship. After years of everything except a title, the Blazers can own up to their mistakes and at least give Lillard a send-off for his choice of place. Sure, Lillard has been playing this game for a couple of off-seasons. However, Lillard also sent several warning shots in the past couple of years that he wants to win. The Blazers have not made corresponding moves, so trading for a star now would be a big slap to Lillard.

oPTION TWO: REALITY

Lillard requested a trade just one day after Portland tied down Jerami Grant for five more years. Photo Credit: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

Lillard does not have a no-trade clause and therefore has zero control over where he wants to go. Lillard can say he does not want to play in Boston, but that does not matter for several reasons. One, the Blazers are most likely getting all-NBA forward Jaylen Brown back in the trade. Brown alone makes Boston’s package the best on the market of realistic choices. Second, plenty of players in the past were sent to teams that weren’t on their list of choices.

Kawhi Leonard was on no one’s radar for landing spots, but he went there and delivered in one year. He didn’t resign, but teams know the future of an organization, if not promises. Kevin Garnett did not want to come to Boston at first. Now, Garnett wears that Celtic pride on his sleeve as he was arguably the best player on the biggest single-season turnaround in NBA history.

On top of that, Miami seems to have trouble finding a third team to take Tyler Herro as Portland is uninterested in the young guard. Boston and Philadelphia could muster up much stronger packages. Even Brooklyn could toss around their own draft picks and the ones they received in the trade with the Suns.

Basically, the Blazers do not owe Lillard anything, and for him to tell Portland that he will only play for the Heat as if he has any leverage in this is funny. Portland should look after themselves first. If not, it shows the precedent they are sending to the new era.